Looking back at 2015!

My, oh my, what a year it has been for music, movies and entertainment overall. 2015 will be remembered for some major headlines; from meeting Caitlyn Jenner, to the biggest celebrity breakups we weren't expecting, to the viral 'how-to' guide on getting Kylie Jenner's famous pout (I knew I forgot to check something off my to-do list this month!). As we take a look back at this year's most memorable moments, let us reminisce the most talked about stories, shall we?

First on the list, and not surprisingly, the introduction of Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as reality TV star Bruce Jenner. It wasn't long ago when Jenner sat down with ABC's Diane Sawyer and announced that he was in the process of becoming a woman. Months later, Vanity Fair revealed its cover for their June edition and the world got a glimpse of Caitlyn. Not only was she the most talked about celebrity, she even got her own reality series titled "I Am Cait", which has been renewed for a second season.

This next story is still ongoing and it looks like we'll still be hearing about it in 2016. Over the summer, it came as a shock to learn that one of America's most beloved TV dads, and star of the 80s sitcom "The Cosby Show", Bill Cosby, had been accused of sexually assaulting over 50 women. Some of these accusers included former models Beverly Johnson and Janice Dickinson, who both turned to the media to tell their story. Cosby has denied any wrongdoing and ever since news broke, several networks have decided to pull the plug on re-runs of the classic sitcom.

"It's Over", is the headline most magazines and celebrity websites used over this past year. It seems as though every month brought news of another couple's split; not to mention, couples that we rarely hear about, that keep a low profile. The biggest and most talked about breakup would have to be Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck. It was reported that Ben cheated on his wife with the family's nanny, but neither have commented on this story. The two were married for ten years and are parents to three young children. Other power couples that called it quits this year were actors Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green, and singer Gwen Stefani, who filed for divorce from her husband of 13 years Gavin Rossdale. Let's just hope Cupid gets it right in the new year!

March 25th, 2015, the day every young teenage girl's heart got broken and will be remembered as one of the worst days in boy band mania. Zayn Malik, from One Direction, had announced that he was leaving the group after five years. When asked why he was parting ways, he said it was due to stress and that he wanted to be a normal 22 year-old and enjoy some time away from the spotlight. At the time, Malik was engaged to singer Perrie Edwards from the girl group "Little Mix", and many had speculated that she had something to do with Zayn's departure. Even fans of One Direction went as far as dubbing Edwards as "the new Yoko Ono".

What can I say, this past year did have its ups and downs but when it comes to entertainment, it's nothing out of the ordinary! As we say goodbye to 2015 and  hello to 2016, we know we'll have more to read (and talk) about for another year! Let the countdown begin!

"What A Time To Be Alive"

What a time indeed! This week, I got the chance to experience something that most Torontonians would take for granted; I attended my very first basketball game and let me tell you, it was amazing! I'll admit that sports isn't really my thing, but when you're at an event with two of the greatest teams in the NBA, you're bound to get pumped about it! And that's exactly how I felt but I wasn't alone. Amongst a crowd of over 20,000 people, I watched the Toronto Raptors take down Lebron and the Cleveland Cavaliers on a special night that celebrates Toronto's very own Drake!

Drake, who is the Global Ambassador for the Toronto Raptors, is also one of the greatest rappers out there right now; and I happen to be a big fan of his. Lucky for me, I got to go home with a limited edition, long-sleeved Raptors/OVO shirt and a headband, which was part of the Drake Night swag, courtesy of the rapper himself. Drake wasn't the only name being celebrated last night but Kyle Lowry was also a name that drew a lot of attention. The star of the of the team got in 27 points, four steals and six assists. But it all came down the fourth quarter, where Toronto took an 82-80 lead and the crowd kept getting louder by the minute! The Raptors dominated as their 103-99 victory over the Cavaliers put a perfect ending to Drake Night.

When asked about the night named after him, the Toronto native said it's something he does for the city and for people to enjoy themselves. He says he hopes it lasts forever and I think I speak for every Torontonian when I say...we hope so too!

Trevor Noah: The New Face of The Daily Show

It wasn't long ago that comedian Jon Stewart bid farewell to the Daily Show after hosting the program for 17 years. Earlier this year, it was announced that 31-year-old comic Trevor Noah would be the one filling in for Stewart, and before his big debut tomorrow night, he's getting in some last minute practice. Noah has decided to start off the show by introducing himself as if it was his first broadcast. So, who is this Trevor Noah everyone's been talking about?

Trevor Noah is a comedian, actor, TV and radio host from Johannesburg, South Africa. He started acting when he was 18 years old and even began hosting his own radio show. He then went on to host numerous shows on television, including a sports show, a game show and an awards show. He decided to drop his radio show and acting to focus more on comedy, which led him to perform with several South African comedians and even international comedians, such as Gabriel Iglesias and Canada's own Russell Peters.

In 2011, Noah moved to the United States to pursue his career in comedy. Since then, he's been a guest on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno as well as the Late Show with David Letterman. After appearing on different comedy specials, the comedian became a recurring contributor on The Daily Show and this past March, Comedy Central announced that he would become Stewart's successor.

Within days of the announcement, attention was drawn on the internet to jokes that the comedian had made in the past. They were criticized as being very offensive to women and Jews. He responded on social media and tweeted that his jokes are not a reflection of who he is. Even the network stood by him by saying that just like every comic, he tends to push boundaries but he shouldn't be judged on a handful of jokes. That's why they're called jokes people!

All kidding aside, Trevor Noah has some pretty big shoes to fill. As long as he's himself, everything will go smoothly. And taking a few jabs at politicians wouldn't hurt either!

Tune in to The Daily Show with Trevor Noah tomorrow night on Comedy Central.

Source: CNN News

Bieber's Comeback: The Ups and Downs of the Teen Popstar

Justin Bieber is back and his fans couldn't be happier! After a five-year hiatus, Justin returned to the MTV VMA stage on Sunday night and performed his latest hits "Where Are U Now" and "What Do You Mean?". Following his performance, the teen heartthrob got a little teary-eyed and had viewers confused. During an interview on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, he explained to the host that he was so blown away by the positive energy from the crowd, that he got so emotional. Especially given that the last time he appeared on an awards show, he was booed. Bieber went on by saying: "I've worked so hard at the album. I've worked so hard at just becoming the man that I want to become". He's referring to the bad boy image he had due to his past troubles; he blames that on being surrounded by the wrong people.

From run-ins with the paparazzi, to multiple lawsuits, and even getting arrested abroad, the Biebs did not have the public's approval. His career really hit a low back in 2014, when the singer was arrested for DUI and drag racing in Miami Beach; he was only 20 years old. Bieber's mugshot went viral and the fans weren't very pleased with the person he had become. The media can be cruel and he isn't the only celebrity to have his troubles popping up all over the internet. But young teens look up to him and they love his music and everything about him. It's important that he keeps a clean image.

Justin says he wants to be around people who support him, who uplift him because there are a lot of people in the industry who want to bring him down. He has been working hard to improve his image ever since. It seems to be working because his new single "What Do You Mean?" just hit number 1 on the iTunes chart and his new album is set to be released in November.

Welcome Back Justin!

Are they or aren't they?

Looks like rapper Drake has a new love interest.....and her name is Serena Williams! The couple were spotted together getting cozy at a restaurant in Cincinnati and it looks like they're trying to keep their relationship on the downlow. According to E! News, things are pretty hot and heavy between the pair and the tennis star even got her friends approval. The rapper is described as a true gentleman and is very supportive of Serena. However, they are both very private when it comes to their personal lives, which is why they are trying to keep this away from the public eye as much as possible.

Drake and Serena have been friends for years, and he's had his eye on her for quite some time now. The same goes for Serena; not only is Drake her type, but she is also a big fan of his and his music (kinda like me!). Williams previously dated rapper Common, who commented on his ex's "rumored" relationship with his ex-rival by saying that as long as she's happy, he's good! The two music artists had gotten into somewhat of a beef a long time ago, but things have been settled ever since.

I guess we'll be seeing more of the Toronto native at these tennis matches, rooting for his girl. Just last month, the singer attended the Wimbledon match and posted a picture of Williams after winning her sixth tennis title. Could these two be Hollywood's next power couple? I wonder what kind of nickname the media will give them? Hmmm, let me get back to you on that one!

Source: E! News

Rap Battles

Back in my day when Twitter and Facebook didn't exist (and dial-up internet was the s**t), rappers would take the time to create great battle records. From 2pac vs Biggie, to Jay-Z vs Nas, these were some of the greatest battles that hip-hop had ever heard. Nowadays, social media is at our fingertips and most of us share just about everything; so do a lot of celebrities.

The most recent battle is one that has been all over the internet concerning rapper Drake and Meek Mill. It all started when Meek called out Drake on Twitter for not writing his own lyrics on their collaboration for the song "R.I.C.O". Mill then accused the rapper of having a ghostwriter and said that he doesn't write ANY of his lyrics (oh no he didn't!). Instead of lashing out on Twitter, the Toronto native decided to respond in a different way; by dropping not one but TWO diss tracks, one titled "Charged Up" and the other "Back to Back". On this song, Drake takes a couple of shots at Meek by referencing his status as an opening act on his girlfriend Nicki Minaj's Pinkprint Tour. He raps "Is that a world tour or your girl's tour?", where he is basically implying that Nicki is the one who wears the pants in their relationship and that he follows her wherever she goes. And how did Mill respond to that? By releasing a song called "Wanna Know", a badly mixed track that is very poorly written and has gotten nothing but bad reviews....from his fans.

This past weekend, Drake hosted his 6th annual OVO music festival in Toronto and on Monday night, while performing in front of thousands of fans, he addressed his beef by playing both diss tracks backed by memes aimed at Meek Mill (he gets extra points for that one!). Although I am a huge fan of Drake, I'm curious to see how and when this feud will end.

Drake 2 - Meek Mill 0

Source: about.com

Ariana Grande: Spoiled Pop Princess?

This past Tuesday, a video of pop princess Ariana Grande surfaced on the internet that shows the singer licking donuts at a local shop in California and making hateful comments about...... America? The viral video has now fallen into the hands of police and public health officials, who will be investigating the incident. Health officials are puzzled as to why the donuts were exposed in the first place and not protected, as required by California health laws.

The video is quite odd as Grande is seen in the donut shop kissing her boyfriend and then licking not one, but two donuts, followed by her rude comments about hating America. The singer has since issued an apology, saying that she loves America and that she's proud to be an American. She claims her words were taken out of context and turned to Twitter to apologize; especially to her fans.

But the so-called #DonutGate does not end here. Actor Rob Lowe tweeted about Ariana's apology, saying that it was lame and Susan Sarandon posted more of a sarcastic remark. She wrote: "Today, lick a doughnut in solidarity with Ariana Grande. A sweet, talented, true American." Although the songstress has expressed her regret for her Anti-American comments, she still hasn't addressed her donut licking incident. The owner of the shop demands Grande apologize for her rude and disgusting behavior.

Source: people.com

Music's biggest stars shine at the MuchMusic Video Awards

Every year, the city of Toronto plays host to the most popular awards ceremony in Canada, known as the Much Music Video Awards. The awards are handed out to the year's best music artists and also honor the best music videos. The show also includes live performances by the industry's biggest chart toppers. The best part about the event is that it is held outside right in front of the Much Music Headquarters, where fans line up ahead of time in hopes of catching a glimpse of their favorite stars.

This year, I decided to head to Toronto to check out the show myself. Thanks to a friend of mine, I got the chance to experience the extravaganza and be a part of his street team by interacting with the fans, catching the red carpet rehearsals and hours later, I waited to watch the opening performance.

The MMVAs are sort of the equivalent of the MTV Video Music Awards; they are held once a year, they celebrate the best in music and the fashion do's and dont's are always worth talking about. This past Sunday, a number of celebrities attended the event; Ed Sheeran, who was also the co-host, took to the stage along with newcomer Shawn Mendes, Nick Jonas and Jason Derulo. The big winners of the night were Toronto's own The Weeknd, scooping up four awards and Ed Sheeran, who took home two awards including Best International Artist. Unlike MTV, there are never any surprise guest appearances at the MMVAs; that is until rapper Drake decided to pop out of nowhere and hand out the award for Best Hip-Hop Video to his buddy P.Reign.

Catch the 2015 MuchMusic Video Awards on demand at much.com.

The rise and fall of American Idol

"Dim the lights, here we go!" Recognize that line? That's American Idol host Ryan Seacrest's famous phrase being said every time he announces the show's results. But as of next year, it'll be lights out for one of television's biggest music competition series. American Idol was first introduced to the public back in 2002 in which its concept was based on Britain's "Pop Idol", a talent show that would determine the next pop singer based on the viewers votes.

The whole idea of the show is to find new recording artists, with America deciding who the best one is by casting a vote either by telephone or text message. Throughout the years, winners of the show have included Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Carrie Underwood, and Jordin Sparks, just to name a few, and they have all topped the music charts. Aside from the votes, the show's panel of judges can also help influence someone's decision; after all, they are the experts critiquing each performance. In the first season, the original judges were record producer Randy Jackson, singer Paula Abdul, and music executive Simon Cowell (he's the one with the accent).

The success of the show has been phenomenal ever since its first season. Viewers would tune in to watch the show, whether it was to see if their favorite was still in the running or just to hear another one of Simon's rude comments (and who can forget those tight V-neck shirts!).
In 2012, the show's ratings started to drop and many assumed that Simon Cowell's 2010 departure may have had an impact. In addition, the premiere of NBC's "The Voice", another talent competition show, would also be to blame for the fall of "American Idol". Although the show kept changing its panel of judges throughout the seasons (really? Ellen DeGeneres?), at least they've kept the same host for the past 14 years.

Ryan Seacrest has been with the show since day one; he's great at hosting and his good looks don't hurt either. Seacrest has really made a name for himself not only as a TV host, but also as a radio host and producer, and by launching his own production company called Ryan Seacrest Productions. Earlier this week, it was announced that "American Idol" will be going off the air next year, making season 15 its final season. Current judges Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban will be filling those seats for one last time and according to the show, several stars and past judges will also be making an appearance but no names have been confirmed yet.

Source: Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-former-pop-hitmaker-american-idol-to-end-20150511-story.html

16 years of late night TV

Late night television will never be the same, at least for Jon Stewart that is. Two months after announcing to the public that he would be leaving the Daily Show, the soon-to-be ex-host sat down with 'The Guardian' and explained why he is stepping down and what will happen next.

Stewart has hosted the satirical news show for 16 years and when asked as to why he decided to leave, he says: "It's not like I thought the show wasn't working anymore, but I'm not getting the same satisfaction." For over a decade, the Daily Show has been a part of America's cultural and political scene. The show's format includes a number of reports from different reporters (including Stephen Colbert and John Oliver), monologues given by Stewart himself and interviews with celebrities and politicians at the very end of the show. Over the years, the comedian has gone from a satirist to a broadcaster praised as the voice of U.S. liberalism; as the one who tells it like it is.

Above all, the comedian thanks his team, even though he's always been involved in the script, re-writing drafts up to the very last minute, the show will be different once he steps down. South African comedian Trevor Noah will be the one filling in for Stewart and he has been described as "incredibly thoughtful, considerate and funny", despite the controversy surrounding Noah's offensive tweets about Jews, overweight women and transgender people.

Not since Oprah Winfrey revealed that she would be walking away from network television has a TV host's farewell been highly publicized. When mentioned, even Stewart says: "If Oprah can leave and the world still spins, I honestly think it will survive me."

Catch the last episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Thursday August 6th on Comedy Central.

Source: The Guardian

Empire: TV's hottest new show

If you haven't heard of TV's biggest breakout hit show "Empire", you will want to start watching after reading this. Empire is described as a family soap opera based on the music industry. Terrence Howard stars as Lucious Lyon, a one time recording artist who created Empire Records and has built it into what it is today. I guess you can say this role would describe a particular real-life music mogul (did anyone else think of Jay-Z?). Cookie Lyon, played by the talented Taraji P. Henson, is Lucious' ex-wife, who was by his side during his music career as well as for the launch of Empire Records. Although she was on a 17-year hiatus (she was behind bars for the drug-running that brought Empire on top), she is back now and she cannot wait to run the business again; only problem is that Lucious has taken over and a lot has changed over the years.

The couple have three children; Andre, the oldest with the brains minus the talent, Jamal, who is super talented, commited to his work and openly gay, which Lucious does not approve of, and the youngest is Hakeem, Lucious' favorite. He's already a superstar and his music career is going really well for him. Another striking character is none other than Anika, Lucious' fiancé, who doesn't quite get along with Cookie. Somehow, the claws keep coming out every time they're in the same room.

Empire has everything that soap opera fans would love in a show; money, power, sex, murder and some good music to go along with it. The ratings for this show have been growing ever since it aired back in January. In its first week, 9.9 million viewers tuned in and by week 7, that number climbed to 13.9 million.

Not only is Empire THE show to watch, but the celebrity guest appearances make it even more interesting, some of which have included Naomi Campbell, Jennifer Hudson and Mary J. Blige. Also, it has been confirmed that Oprah Winfrey and  singer Common have been added to the script for the show's second season.

The season finale of Empire airs this Thursday at 9pm on Fox.

Source: nydailynews.com
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"Got the club goin' up, on a Tuesday...

Like most people, I don't usually go out on weeknights. I'm more of a Friday/Saturday night kinda girl; that was until my plans got cancelled this past Tuesday. For months now, I had been bragging to everyone I know, including my co-workers, that I was going to go see Chris Brown, Trey Songz and Tyga live in concert in February. Back in November, it had been announced that the three artists would be going on tour together and the only Canadian stops were Montreal and Toronto.

It was the night before show and you can imagine my anticipation. Not only was I going to see one of my favorite artists (Trey Songz) perform, but I had great seats on top of that. I was so anxious that I had a hard time sleeping at night. Finally, the day had arrived; I was going into work for a 3 hour shift and then headed straight for the Bell Center. At around 5:30, I checked my phone only to find out that the show had been cancelled; I was devastated. The reason: Chris Brown couldn't cross the Canadian border due to immigration issues.

Around 10:00pm, I headed home and as I was looking at my Instagram, I came across a picture that a DJ friend of mine had posted that read: "Tonight! Trey Songz at club Le Cinq". I immediately called up one of my girls and met up with her at the club. Just after midnight, Trey made his appearance and the crowd went wild! He came out wearing a checkered shirt, black sunglasses and a tuque, which he removed later that night. He started off with his hit single "Touchin', Lovin'" and kept the crowd on their feet as he sang hit after hit, including "Say Aah", "Foreign" and "Slow Motion". It was a night I'll never forget!

Not bad for a Tuesday night; not bad at all!

And the Grammy goes to...

Music's biggest night is finally here! The 57th Grammy Awards will be held tonight live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The Grammys are kind of like the Oscars for the music industry, bringing some of the biggest names in music under one roof. Some of this year's nominees include Iggy Azalea, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Pharrell Williams and Taylor Swift. If you think the nominees list is impressive, wait until you see who will be taking over the stage.

Katy Perry is set to sing "By the Grace of God", off her nominated album "Prism", Rihanna will be joined by Sir Paul McCartney and Kanye West to perform their collaborative track "FourFiveSeconds". Speaking of collaborations, Mary J. Blige and Sam Smith will be sharing the stage, as well as Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, and Adam Levine will be teaming up with Gwen Stefani. Another anticipating performance will be the one by the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna, which will mark the fifth time she has taken over the Grammy stage.

The Grammy Awards ceremony is known to recognize achievement in the music industry and features performances by talented artists. Like every other awards show, it is also known for the fashion, that can sometimes be jaw dropping (remember J.Lo's low-cut Versace dress?)

Tune it to the Grammys airing tonight at 8pm on CBS hosted by LL Cool J.

Source:TheHuffingtonPost.com

Chris Brown is in trouble....again!

Why am I not surprised? This isn't the first time Chris Brown has had a run-in with the law but this time, he could end up behind bars. Last week, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge revoked the R&B singer's probation, but let him go for now, after the singer traveled without permission to sing at a concert and for not completing his hours of community service, from 2009, on time. The judge ordered Brown not to be taken into custody but expects to see him back in court for a hearing on March 20th.

It all started when the singer performed at a San Jose nightclub recently, even though he wasn't allowed to leave the Los Angeles area. While performing his hit "Loyal" on stage, a shooting occurred within the crowd, where five people were injured but there was no indication that Brown was involved in the incident. Despite all of that, the judge still wants probation officials to look into the shooting and whether or not the artist had anything to do with it.

Chris Brown is known for his bad behavior and the multiple encounters he's had with the law. In October of 2013, the singer punched a man outside of a hotel in Washington,D.C. and officials charged him with misdemeanor assault. And who can forget that infamous attack on his then-girlfriend pop singer Rihanna back in 2009. The songstress was beaten by him in his car while on their way to the Grammy Awards; they ended up canceling their appearance due to the violent attack.

Brown is currently getting ready for his North American Tour where he will be joined by singer Trey Songz and rapper Tyga. The "Between The Sheets" tour kicks off on January 28 in Virginia.

Source: Fox News

Nicki Minaj: Hip-Hop's Diva

Some might say she's crazy, some might say she's cool; but there's one thing we do know for sure: Nicki Minaj is definitely one of a kind! In a recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Nicki talks about her latest album "The Pinkprint" and opens up about her personal life; a side we've never seen from her before.

In the first part of the interview, the rapper talks about the exhausting process she had to go through in order for her 15-minute Pinkprint movie to get released on time. She looks over retouching and color correction when it isn't done properly. She tells the magazine: "I would save so much time if I didn't care about things like that. But I do." Not only is Minaj a perfectionist, she is also a vulnerable woman. That being said, she wanted to give her fans a glimpse into her private life.

The end of her 11-year relationship with Safaree Samuels is one of the many events in her life that inspired her songwriting for the new album. She says: "I had to learn to do something as simple as sleep alone. I struggled with 'Do I express these feelings?'". She decided she wasn't going to hide anymore as she reveals another painful moment in her life; a pregnancy that ended in abortion.

While attending a performing arts high school, Nicki was dating a much older man. When she found out she was pregnant, her whole world was turned upside down. "I thought I was going to die", she says. The abortion is something that has haunted her all her life and for her, not having the baby was the right decision to make at the time. She just wasn't ready for it.

Pick up the latest copy of Rolling Stone magazine for the full interview. The Pinkprint is now available on iTunes.

Source:www.rollingstone.com