This year’s crop of Oscar dress knockoffs sadly won’t include my favorite of the evening. I thought Reese Witherspoon’s gown was beyond fabulous. But then again, I am a fool for purple. Who wore your favorite Oscar gown? And who do you think fugged up the red carpet?

I haven’t yet been able to fully wrap my mind around the possible ancestral link between Al Sharpton and Strom Thurmond. It’s gotta be really troubling and weird for Al, too. That’s just a crazy story.

I must admit, I’m new to the Hot Ghetto Mess phenomenon. There are some zany, sad, hilarious NSFW photos on that site. But even though I laughed at those pictures, I’m not crazy about the concept of BET taking Hot Ghetto Mess to the airwaves. I already saw that show when it was called Flavor of Love. What does it say about me that I’ll probably wind up watching it? Seems like I have a lot of thinking to do today.

And FYI, Hot Ghetto Mess also features a Not Ghetto page that highlights positive news about African Americans and includes tributes to our ancestors. Very cool.

I discovered Byron Hurt’s Beyond Beats and Rhymes through Keith Boykin (which is truly one of the best blogs out there). I missed the PBS debut of this incredible documentary, so I’m waiting to set my tivo for the repeat. If you’re a true hip hop fan, even the trailer will give you troubling food for thought.

I’ve always, always been a huge Busta Rhymes fan, but his response to accusations of homophobia made me never want to listen to Extinction Level Event again. It’s always heartbreaking when I realize how sickeningly ignorant some of my musical favorites can be.

Speaking of ignorant, this interview with New York on Miss Jones cracked me up! I mean, if you have to lie and say you went to college, at least come correct with a believable story.

And Scott Storch really needs to just shut up and get back to working on Paris Hilton’s follow-up album.

I was disappointed to read that Eddie Murphy was a sore loser at the Academy Awards. Disappointed, but not surprised. I feel for Scary Spice, too. And that poor baby, already at the center of a scandal. I can’t imagine that anyone would want to be stuck in a situation like that.

If I could give myself the voice of any singer, it would probably be Jazmine Sullivan.

She killed it as an eleven year old on the Apollo. Her version of “Accept What God Allows” will put chills down your spine. She breaks it down too — “I might be just eleven years old, but I’ve come to tell you that he’ll lead you to the heavenly throne!” Go on, little girl.

Well she’s all grown up now, and to prove the utter stupidity of the record industry, my girl got dropped from Jive Records. She’s very honest about it in this great interview with AllHipHop.com. “For me [it was] difficult, because I was bigger – so I wasn’t standards for industry standards. I realized I have to do what I have to do to get where I have to go, so if that means losing 15 or 20 pounds, that’s what I am going to do to achieve what I want to achieve.”

I admire her matter-of-fact determination, but it still really sucks that the industry prizes looks over talent.

The difference couldn’t be more evident than when she sings “Say I” — which she wrote, by the way. When she says “I’mma keep it gangsta,” you believe her so, so much more than Christina Milian.

Because of the lack of record label funding and so on, Jazmine doesn’t have an official video for any of her songs. Luckily there are audio versions of her tracks on YouTube.

I love Brush Your Shoulders Off, Resentment (sorry stans, but Jazmine’s version blows the doors off Victoria Beckham and Beyonce’s versions), and Break My Little Heart, which is basically Missy-remixed cover of the song known as Sukiyaki, by Kyu Sakamoto. (Perhaps you remember the disco version by A Taste of Honey, or the acapella version by 4PM ?)

Back to Jazmine Sullivan. I love her because she’s raw and real. I love that she’s a singer/songwriter, and she writes about what she knows and believes. You gotta listen to her sing Braid Your Hair. Afrocentric hairdressing as an prelude to romance? I’m ’bout it. That is my jam.

The real proof of singing ability is always the live performance. So turn your speakers down and check out Jazmine’s version of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On. This is apparently a fan recording, so it’s a bit loud and dark. Nevertheless, incredible. And she’s just nineteen years old!!

Enjoy!

Bronzer is one of those cosmetic products that I eschewed in my tomboy days.

“I’m black, I live in the Caribbean. My skin is baking in the sun all day. I don’t need bronzer or blush,” I’d scoff.

What a fool I was. A little blush can take your look from a’ight to amazing with minimal effort, and bronzer can be an afrobella’s best friend – especially for those of you who are living in chilly climates and can’t get a sunkissed glow the natural way.

I’ve been meaning to hold forth on the benefits of bronzer since November, when a reader by the name of St. Lucian Spirit asked me this Ask Afrobella question:

“Hey Afrobella, thanks for taking the time to blog about black beauty and so forth. My question is, can black people wear bronzer? I tried wearing it once just on my cheeks but I looked darker. Is there something known just as shimmer? Thanks in advance.”

First of all — big up to all my island sistren! Secondly, St. Lucian Spirit, black women can and should wear bronzer! A little shimmer along the bridge of your nose, on the apples of your cheeks, and the top of your cheekbones can give you a gorgeous, natural outdoorsy glow.

The key is in application — like every skin-enhancing cosmetic item, less is definitely more with bronzer. Too much and you could wind up looking like an extra-crispy Lil Kim. Use a light hand to highlight your features, and apply your makeup in full, natural light if possible. I open the blinds and sit facing the window to put on my blush and bronzer. That way, I know I’m not going to leave for work looking like Carnival Tuesday.

Iman’s The Beauty of Color offers the following tips:

1. First, make sure your face is clean, dry and matte. Bronzer will stick to oily or damp areas and streak, making your face look dirty.

2. Women of color always need to apply blush before bronzer. Why? Since we’re already brown, most bronzers wouldn’t show up on us. But if it’s blended over a rosy blush, it’ll not only be visible, but the rosy-bronze combination gives an impossibly sexy, slightly sunburned look.

3. Want a dewy look? Dab a sheer gel bronzer over gel blush, or blend a bronze highlighting stick along your cheekbones.

4. When going for a sunkissed look, apply bronzer with a big fluffy brush, and concentrate on the areas where the sun naturally hits your face – cheekbones, bridge of nose, and forehead.

Afrobellas who happen to be darker than a paper bag are advised to use true bronze shades, with a gold shimmer.
For bellas cruising the drugstore aisle (or drugstore.com), Physician’s Formula gives a wide range of options.

A great start-up bronzer is the Pearls of Perfection Multi-Colored Powder Bronzer.

The container comes filled with these little multicolored bronzer balls that swirl together to make an effortless and subtle sun-kissed look. If you’ve got little ones, keep this product far out of their reach. I think the little round balls are adorable and fascinating enough for an inquisitive toddler to try to put in their mouths.

Physicians Formula also makes Pearls of Perfection Multi-Colored Face Tint, which comes in one of those gel formula pumps that I’ve already admitted to being fascinated by. I’m itching to try this one, because I bet it goes on sheerer than its powder-ball compadre, which means I’d be less likely to wind up overapplying.

Bronzer experts like Lianne The Makeup Girl recommend that you have a specific brush for your bronzer.

When I’m making big-girl money and can buy all the makeup I want, I plan to get Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks in Bronze, Rose, and Brownie, and her Face Blender Brush.

But because I’m always trying to look fly on the cheap, for right now I’ll stick to e.l.f Natural Radiance Blusher in Bronzed.

This is my favorite of all of the e.l.f products I’ve had the pleasure to try so far. The color perfectly compliments my skintone, and the subtle gold glimmers absolutely illuminate my cheeks. AND it only costs a buck! I love e.l.f. stuff, and I highly recommend them to any bella on a budget.

Here’s a great, affordable bronze goddess look for beautiful brown-skinned bellas — after your eyes are lined with your liner of choice (both top and bottom lids), sweep some e.l.f bronze blusher on the apples of your cheeks, then swirl some of the Physicians Formula Pearls of Perfection over that. Highlight your brow bone with a little HIP Illuminating Highlighter, slide on some Milani Glitzy Glamour Gloss in Lady Like or Star Stunned, and work the look with a beautiful earth toned or golden yellow top and some gorgeous yellow gold earrings.

Fabulous for less than $25!

I’ll tell you, in recent weeks it’s been getting harder to come up with an Afrobella of the Week.

While there are still some obvious choices coming up in the not-too-distant future, so many women I could have sworn would be all-natural forever have switched it up and gone all weavey or straight on me. Jill Scott, Marsha Ambrosius from Floetry, even Erykah Badu have strayed from their natural styles. I’m looking for suggestions, y’all. In general the Afrobella of the Week should be a woman who proudly wears her natural hairstyle and doesn’t undergo any chemical hair processes. But this week, I honestly don’t know. I’m just gonna go for it and hope for the best.
Bellas, I present to you Chrisette Michele, an afrobella in the midst of a hairstyle transition.

I’ve had my eye on her since I first heard Lost Ones from a early bootleg download.

Her voice caught my attention first — how could it not? She’s got such a distinctive sound, so jazzy and retro but simulataneously fresh. And when I visited her website to investigate this warbling diva-to-be, I was thrilled to discover a gorgeous natural afrobella smiling back at me.
Chrisette Michele positively glows. Click here to watch her sing live at the NationWide Unsigned Hype show. Oh, I wish I could embed that video so, so much. She sounds great, and I am feeling the lyrics of that song. But unfortunately it’s only available on her website, so do yourselves a favor; click and listen.
The song feels like gospel music washing over your soul. Which makes sense, because Chrisette is apparently a spiritual kind of chick.

I was all set to name her Afrobella of the Week, then I saw the Nas video for Can’t Forget About You. The song is an instant classic, if you ask me. Her voice is as unforgettable as the sample. But at first, I wasn’t even sure it was the same person! Her style was straight, dark, and Forties chic. For a brief minute I had to wonder — are we having a Martha Wash moment on our hands? But the eyes told me otherwise. Then I saw the on the set photos on Concrete Loop and my suspicions were confirmed. Apparently Chrisette is apparently in the midst of a natural hair transition, and she’s definitely gotten the uber glam Hollywood makeover. Her makeup is flawless. Both her and Jill Scott wear that retro sexy look incredibly well.

Natural hair or no, Chrisette can sing. And she looks so fly and sounds so fresh performing live here on Letterman, I can’t even diss her hustle. She’s gorgeous and I have the feeling that she’s going places big time. Duetting with Jay-Z and Nas on big hits is just the beginning for her.

Truthfully, I think it’s probably pretty difficult to start out in the game with a natural hairstyle. I sincerely hope she someday returns to her roots, so to speak… but I’m already a fan.

Here she is being introduced to the Def Jam executives by none other than Mr. L.A Reid. She’s utterly amazing.

Congrats, Chrisette! You’re Afrobella of the Week!

Yay, Jennifer Hudson!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don’t care if they’re calling her her bolero a fashion don’t, watching her win made my night.

She looked gorgeous, was succinct and eloquent, and I’m super glad she was able to get in an edgewise thank you to Jennifer Holliday. I know if she had time she would have shouted out Florence Ballard, too.

That Academy orchestra doesn’t play when it comes to timing those Oscar speeches, huh?

When Ms. Dynamite hit the scene in 2002, there was such an atmosphere of hope in the air.

A Little Deeper was an incredible album, chockablock with hard beats and powerful lyrics and coming out at a time when there was a distinct lack of smart female rap tracks on record store shelves. And on top of all of that, the girl could sing. It was like a nouveau Lauryn Hill was emerging from across the pond.

Just about every track on her first album was a winner. Put Him Out was a dump-that-loser track that was catchier than Eve’s Love is Blind.

Being the Caribbean chick that I am, I always loved Boo, her patois-laden, bass-heavy ragga track from that first album. “Rah-rahted, bomba-bomboclaated…” wicked tune. And she can spit live, too, which I especially admire.

Dynamitee was on repeat in my CD player for like a solid month, and don’t get me started on It Takes More. That song came out five years ago, and it’s just as sharp and relevant now. This chick was raising awareness about blood diamonds long before Kanye and Nas. I still think about that track whenever I accidentally wind up listening to mainstream radio-hop — “it takes more to amuse a girl like me, so much more to confuse a girl like me.”

2002 was Ms. Dynamite’s year. After winning many British music awards, Ms. Dynamite fell off. Hard.

She had a baby boy in 2003, and retreated from the public eye to raise her son. Then a string of bad luck seemed to plague the socially-conscious artist. She returned with a follow-up album, Judgment Days, which was not well recieved despite some decent tracks — listen to the title track on her MySpace.

I adored When I Fall in Love. It combines so many of my favorite things – old school Jamaican music, dancehall moves, and intelligent lyrics. Unfortunately, Dynamitee got caught up in some cop drama that led to her being arrested and the single was canceled.

It appears that her official website hasn’t been updated since October 2006, but she started working on some new material; a garage compilation called A Little Darker. Then she participated in some British reality show called The Race, and got in a car accident that resulted in her being hospitalized overnight. And that’s the end of that chapter for now.

I am rooting for her, and I sincerely hope that her career doesn’t go the way of so many artists who don’t fit into the cookie-cutter music industry machine.

Fingers crossed that Ms. Dynamite emerges with a musical explosion bigger and brighter than ever. Until then, When I Fall in Love is my jam of the day. Enjoy!

Jennifer Holliday was pissed. So was Smokey Robinson. Mary Wilson was outraged, but unsurprised.

Diana Ross vaguely threatened litigation, but when Mr. Berry Gordy spoke his piece, the producers of Dreamgirls actually listened.

They’ve issued a public apology, that appeared in yesterday’s Variety.

Well, I hope that the apology makes Diana Ross as happy as she is in Rich from FourFour’s awesome clip collection of her from her recent Inside the Actor’s Studio appearance.

Oh, I hope she laughs and laughs.

There is so much hubbub about this movie, I’m finally going to have to actually sit and watch it.

But not until after this Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony.

Jennifer Hudson will sing at the ceremony, and Jennifer Holliday will perform Live on E!’s Countdown to the Red Carpet. Hooray!

I’m already planning to set my Tivo, and I’m contemplating an informal Oscar party.

If you’re planning to do it up for the Oscars and you want to pay homage to this controversial and popular musical, check out Glamour Magazine’s insider tips from the Beyonce’s makeup artist, Francesca Tolot.

That eye-glitter from the disco scene is absolutely divalicious!