Business Woman: Shanti Das Gets the Boot From Motown
Word on the street is popular record exec Shanti Das was fired from her EVP position at Motown Records in NY. That’s her on the right with Universal Motown’s Phylica Fant.
Das made the announcement that she was moving back to Atlanta permanently during a “going away” cocktail party held in her honor last night at Taj Lounge in NYC.
The venerable recording veteran made a name for herself in Atlanta in 1993 where she got her start at LaFace Records under LA Reid (some say literally).
When LaFace disbanded following its sale to BMG in 2000, Das followed Reid to the now defunct Arista Records in NY. Then Reid and his staff were summarily fired. From there she navigated her way through the tough NYC music industry maze to land at Universal Motown running the Urban Marketing division in 2005.
Das was instrumental in helping convicted rapper Lil Wayne score the best-selling album of 2008, Tha Carter III, with 2.87 million units sold.
Industry insiders in NYC are beside themselves emailing, calling and texting Das with their words of support and understanding during these tough times.
Her dismissal is ironic since she dedicates her Twitter page to posting job search resources and helping others find gainful employment.
Shanti with former boss Sylvia Rhone
Photos: Wireimage/Getty
Alicia Keys Covers Uptown Magazine
Alicia Keys is popping up everywhere these days. She’s on the cover of Uptown magazine’s Dec/Jan ’09 issue wearing one of her favorite lacefront wigs. Beyonce really needs to hit Alicia up for the number to her lacefront wig designer because the hair pieces are flawless.
If I didn’t see those pics of AK losing her hair last week I never would have guessed she’s been wearing lacefront wigs all this time. It’s a good thing for you that I am very astute and pay careful attention to details.
I like this cover. The airbrushing isn’t too overdone and Alicia’s makeup is soft enought that she doesn’t look like a man.
Taylor Swift Makes History
The accolades just keep coming for Country music superstar Taylor Swift who made history last night when she became the youngest winner to be named Entertainer of the Year at the CMAs. The 19-year-old walked away with 4 awards at the 2009 Country Music Association Awards.
She said winning the CMA’s highest honor was the highlight of her life. “I think about 37 minutes ago is what stands out for me my whole life,” she told reporters after the show.
Taylor won Best Music Video, Best Album, Best Female Vocalist & Entertainer of The Year. She also won Song of The Year for “Love Story” at the BMI Country Awards 2009 on Tuesday night.
“I’ll never forget this moment because in this moment everything that I have ever wanted has just happened to me,” Swift said through tears.
2009 has been a stellar year for Taylor. And she owes it all to troubled rapper Kanye West who made her a household name overnight when he snatched her mic during a failed publicity stunt at the AMAs in September.
Why would anyone want to dress like the trollop Nicki Minaj?
When I was growing up, young girls didn’t aspire to look like street walkers and porn stars. I guess times have changed.
Chimp Attack Victim Reveals Disfigured Face On Oprah
Charla Nash, 56, survived an attack by a 200-pound chimp that left her without eyes, a nose or mouth. The attack occurred on Feb. 16, 2008 when the chimp’s owner, Sandra Herold, asked Nash, her friend and employee, to help her lure the agitated chimp named Travis back inside the house.
Nash also lost her hands and her left arm below the elbow. Nash was aware that photographers were prowling outside the Cleveland Clinic where she continues to receive treatment after last year’s much-publicized attack by Travis.
So she invited Oprah and her crew to the clinic to reveal her disfigured face on her own terms.
Nash wears a veil when she goes on daily walks so she doesn’t startle anyone. She told Oprah she can’t breath through her nose and she eats through a straw.
“I don’t even think about it,” Charla Nash said on Wednesday’s episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” ”And there’s no time for that anyways because I need to heal, you know, not look backwards.”
Doctors told Nash two weeks ago she would never see again because she lost both her eyes. She said she doesn’t remember the savage attack and doesn’t want to know about her injuries. “It’s like less for me to worry about if I don’t know,” she said.
FanMAIL: Nick Cannon
In my earlier post I pointed out the fact that TV personality and mega-millionaire Nick Cannon disrespected a sister based on her African features rather than her actions.
Nick Cannon is more fortunate than most celebs in that he is an A-list celebrity while the others can only hope to be. The reason Beyonce (who reads all the blogs) doesn’t respond to the hate is because she’s above all that. So is Jay Z and other A-list artists who have reached the pinnacle of their careers and feel no need to respond.
Once you reach a certain level of success you don’t go backwards. Nick Cannon is supposed to be above this sort of pettiness. If it were Bow Wow or Trey Song, I could understand since they are nobodies. Would he attack Perez Hilton in this manner?
As I’ve said before, that picture of Natasha is not ugly nor unattractive. This leads me to believe that Nick Cannon dissed this woman simply because she doesn’t have the Anglo-Saxon features that he and other pompous, simple minded, self-hating black men like him and Eddie Murphy prefer to showcase as a source of pride. That is an insult to me and any black woman who has ever supported his career.
Loyal reader Dania B. agrees:
I just wanted to let u know that this is one of the first times that I can say I agree with you. Some guys seem to have a preference and in return they down the women who don’t meet their preference. It is one thing to not be attracted to a certain type but to disrespect or talk bad about them is not cool. Nick’s comments were uncalled for and just show his immaturity. Thanks for posting his foolishness it really opened my eyes of what is out there in this crazy world!
I would love to be able to make comments but I do understand that u have a closed registration. If at anytime u want to extend an invite please consider me….
Thanks!
Photos: Wireimage/Getty
Is Nick Cannon Dissing YBF’s Natasha Because She’s Not LSLH?
Normally I don’t comment when celebrities go in on bloggers because some of us can dish it out so we should be able to take it. But this recent conflict between Your Beyonce’s Fetish blog’s Natasha and TV personality Nick Cannon doesn’t sit right with me.
According to Rhymes With Snitch, Nick felt some kind of way about Natasha exposing Shaquille O’Neal’s dirty laundry on her blog which is dedicated to all things Beyonce.
He posted a tweet criticizing Natasha’s picture which I reposted here. If by tweeting this photo of Natasha, Nick is trying to diss her, then he failed because she looks like your average, everyday ’round the way girl to me. So I can only assume then that Nick feels Natasha doesn’t measure up to his standards because she isn’t LSLH like Mariah.
Personally, I feel that certain black men are self-hating losers who wouldn’t be caught dead with a sister with African features. Nick really needs to check himself because Natasha’s audience are the very same fans who watch his shows and buy Mariah’s albums.
