Comments on: That’s What I’m Talkin’ About!

By: JUstMYwOrD

JUstMYwOrD — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 21:56:47 +0000

Now to me Patti embodies the term fierce diva! She’s earned it on all points! She’s never failed to bring her passion an unique style across to her fans, she shows appreciation to all her fan base by promoting herself in a classy and respectable way, in her personal life she’s overcome some major challenges,the list with Patty could just go on and on, she’ll always be one of my favorite Artists!

By: Eboni Senai

Eboni Senai — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 18:07:53 +0000

http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2006-08-03/naked.shtml

While we’re admiring aging bellas, I thought you might be interested in this one.

By: J

Mon, 25 Dec 2006 15:03:23 +0000

AMEN!

http://joiia.blogspot.com

Check out my ode:o)

By: flygyrl72

flygyrl72 — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 19:11:17 +0000

Hey Black Honey, I hear you. Unfortunately, Kim’s & Diddy’s unmarried status is representative of what’s going on in our community. But I don’t think it’s a situtation that should be validated by putting it on a cover of a mag that’s supposed to celebrate Black women. It’s not that I’m stuck just on them being unmarried, to me, that’s not even the worst of it. It’s that Diddy’s behavior over the years w/ Kim has been very disrespectful, not healthy at all. I mean, he left her for J-LO when she’d just had his son! C’mon!
Bella, that pseudo-headline about it being all about the Benjamins, that really sums it up. Has anyone heard about this article that a columnist at the Chicago Sun Times wrote? Check it out…http://www.suntimes.com/news/mitchell/121069,CST-NWS-mitch02.article

By: bella

bella — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 14:10:51 +0000

Hi Bellas! Sorry it took me so long to jump into the discussion. I agree with you – mainstream black magazines generally don’t embrace natural beauty. The state of the media is a topic that always irks me. The only black women who regularly get featured on magazine covers are Beyonce and Janet Jackson, both women who are far from natural. I bet Bey would have beautiful hair if she let go of all that weave and let her hair grow healthy and strong, too.

That lack of representation is why I started Afrobella in the first place, to get a natural perspective out there. I dream of someday having my own magazine, or at least writing for some of these publications and getting a fresh perspective in there.

Jazmin, I heard nothing about Celia being played by Whoopi. Personally, I’d oppose that because I don’t think Whoopi could bring the Latin spice that is so needed for that role. I’d rather see Rosario Dawson play the young Celia.

BlackHoney, don’t worry about starting a debate here – I love intelligent discussion! It’s true that Kim and Diddy’s relationship is representative of African American relationships – just statistically speaking less of our brothers and sisters actually tie the knot than just have kids together and co-exist in that “baby mama/daddy” limbo.

Flygyrl, I interpreted the “No Ordinary Love” headline almost as a diss, actually. It better be “no ordinary love” to put up with Puffy’s shenanigans! I would have left him a LONG time ago. But what else could Essence use as a tagline – Diddy and Kim: It’s All About the Benjamins?

By: jazmin

jazmin — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 05:58:37 +0000

i heard whoopie was suppose to be staring in a biography for celia a while back, does anyone know if this was true or just a rumor

By: BlackHoney

BlackHoney — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 18:56:22 +0000

Lord knows I’m not trying to start anything on afrobella’s comment page (because I love her blog) but I really don’t understand the brohaha about Diddy and Kim. Like the editor said in her letter, 70% of our kids are born out of wedlock and only 45%(?) of us are married. So Kim and Diddy co-habitation is actually representative of AA relationships.

Aren’t we being a wee bit hypocritical?

By: flygyrl72

flygyrl72 — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 18:07:33 +0000

Hey Bella,

just got the newest edition of Essence myself, & yes, while the cover is nice, I agree w/ Naijamiss. Essence really doesn’t celebrate or showcase Natural do’s, particularly in their hairstyle/beauty section, it barely covers natural hairstyles or styling tips , usually always features some relaxed hairstyle. I’ve noticed that for a while now. And did anyone peep their cover last month? W/ Diddy & Kim Porter on the cover?! W/ the title “No Ordinary Love”. That’s such a joke. Especially when Puffy still maintains that he isn’t ready to marry Kim, even though she has 3 kids by him?! I don’t think that was an appropriate relationship for them to splash across their cover. Essence isn’t what it used to be, that’s for sure.

By: Black Honey

Black Honey — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 18:58:16 +0000

Thanks for posting this Afrobella.

Images like this one is the reason I’ve been an Essence subscriber for the past 15 years. I love that they feature all types of women of color. The only thing I don’t like the excessive ads for relaxers.

Vanessa looks better now than she did 20 years ago. Miss Kelly stopped letting Mama Tina style and now she looks fabulous. I have to admit that Miss Nancy has always been a bit too refined for my taste, but she looks amazing. Wendy is so cute. Finally, LaBelle is so inspirational. She is a force of nature and living example of how you can hold a good woman down.

By: naijamiss

naijamiss — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 18:57:22 +0000

carolyn, i really appreciate your comments. i too have mixed feelings about essence magazine. when i was younger, i read it without much criticism/analysis. now at 27, i can’t help but see the contradictions–and perhaps these contradictions reflect those that exist within most of us. nonetheless, it’s still one of the most well-put-together publications aimed at black women. so, i can appreciate it for that. peace.