PICS: LaFace Reunion At Uptown Restaurant
LaFace Records held its pre-Soul Train Awards 20 year reunion party at Uptown Restaurant and Lounge on Monday night in Atlanta.
Veteran LaFace Records staff and artists came from far and wide to attend the reunion. Former LaFace execs like Phillana Williams, Ciara’s former manager, (pictured above, center) who was very supportive of me early in my career. And the kind LaFace receptionist (pictured bottom left).
Noticeably absent from the party were founders LA Reid and Babyface, who I hear pulled out of the awards at the last minute because the show was so disorganized. Naturally, everyone wondered why they couldn’t make it to their own reunion party.
The Soul Train Awards was filmed last night at Georgia World Congress Center in downtown. It airs on Nov. 27, I think.
The LaFace staff were not the kindest people in the industry back in those days. So this picture post will be a short one.
Thanks to Thad of ExclusiveAccess.net for the pics!
Who knew former Hot 107.9 host Rashan Ali used to work for LaFace?
Former LaFace employee Randall Dunn poses with one of his Atlanta Dymes beauties, the lovely and talented Tomika Skanes. Randall founded the wildly popular Atlanta Dymes Calendar, which he was nice enough to send me. Tomika Skanes is featured prominently among the scantily clad models in the calendar.
Celebrity party planner Jamahl King, left (yes, he planned this event too) posed with producer Tony Mercedes who founded Mercedes Records after falling out with LA Reid back in the day.
Singer Usher, left, poses with former LaFace A&R Kawan “KP” Prather, center, and rapper Mike Bigga
MORE reunion pics after the break!
PICS: Soul Train After Party At Straits
Sultry singer Toni Braxton and hubby Kerry Lewis. It’s a blessing that they’re still together.
Straits co-owner Ludacris hosted the official Soul Train after party at his restaurant last night in Atlanta. Celebrity photographer Thad of ExclusiveAccess.net was on the spot.
Sexy singer Mario and Trey Song attended the same party? Hmmm…
Singer Trey Song sporting diamond studded earrings in both lobes. How tre chic.
Sexy rapper Chamillionaire was in the building.
MORE pics after the break!
Atlanta Hawks Makes Sandrarose.com An Offer We Can’t Refuse
Everyone who knows me knows I am the last urban blogger in the blogosphere to toot my own horn.
So when the Atlanta Hawks’ marketing Guru Drew Mills reached out to me three months ago with an offer of a private suite at Philips Arena where my readers could view the season’s biggest games and concerts — it caught me by surprise. I was so surprised that I mulled over the offer for three months. I wasn’t sure if I would accept it.
But that all changed when I met with the Hawks and Thrashers sales executives, the aforementioned Drew Mills, Kenan Woods, and William Stephens at the Hawks office in downtown Atlanta yesterday.
They said they reached out because Sandrarose.com was popular with their targeted demographic. But most importantly, my blog was popular with their friends — young, hip, urban professionals such as themselves.
What separates us from other urban blogs? It’s simple marketing 101: my blog offers an element of differentness that the other urban blogs don’t.
When I explained my trepidation about hosting a suite when I’m not a celebrity, they offered Sandrarose.com an exciting package with an array of perks that I simply could not refuse!
If I accepted the suite and all of its perks, they told me, my readers would view the biggest basketball, hockey games and concerts in redesigned, luxuriously appointed comfort. Not to mention all the wings they can eat and cold beverages they can drink!
An added benefit for my readers is they get to meet my celebrity guests in the suite as well as go backstage to meet & greet recording artists, such as a Superstar whose upcoming concert at Philips Arena hasn’t been announced yet!
Drew, Kenan and William did an excellent job of presenting a package that I know my readers will love. They were too smooth!
Stay tuned for more details on how you can chill with me and my celebrity friends in my suite at an upcoming game!
Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader Wears Blackface for Halloween
A blond, blue eyed Dallas Cowboy cheerleader is in hot water after a photo she posted on her Facebook page showed her dressed up as rapper Lil Wayne, complete with dread locks and platinum, iced out grill.
When are people going to learn that you can’t put everything on the Internet unless you have nothing to lose?
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Whitney Isleib has inadvertently stepped into a Halloween controversy by reportedly dressing up as soon-to-be incarcerated rapper Lil’ Wayne in black-face.
Photos of the blonde-haired cheerleader turned hip-hop impresario were posted to Facebook and eventually made their way to sports blog Deadspin.com.
Offensive or just plain fun? Dallas fans are split.
“If she wasn’t a Dallas cheerleader would it really matter? It’s Halloween, you know. You get to go how you want to go” Cowboys fan Laura Pyhrr told CBS 11 Dallas at Sunday’s game.
He does have a point there. It was just a Halloween costume.
Monica – Still Standing, Episode 2
Here is episode 2 of “Monica, Still Standing,” in case you missed it.
Hopefully, Mo will visit my suite at the Philips Arena during an upcoming Atlanta Hawks home game to meet with my readers. I don’t think we’ll have a problem making that happen. Just the other night, I was out driving and Mo called my cell to say she was having difficulty logging into my blog to chat with my readers.
How many celebrities would arbitrarily log into my blog to chat with my readers without being asked? And did I tell y’all that the whole Live Chat concept Sandrarose.com was Monica and Mia X’s idea?
Alicia Keys Discusses “Empire State of Mind” and World Series
Alicia Keys discusses her World Series live performance of “Empire State of Mind” with Jay Z. Can someone explain to me what the big deal is with this lame track? Do you have to be a New Yorker to understand the hype?
Has Obama Lost His Swagga?
After the expected GOP sweep yesterday in former Democratic strongholds of New Jersey and Virginia, it seems the Obama magic is gone.
This from the NY Post:
In fact, the elections underscored Obama’s political weakness just one year after his triumphant victory over Republican moderate John McCain.
The Obama invincibility that was so much in evidence then seems to have lost its power. People can argue the reasons why these elections, all in places Obama carried handily, were so close. But if he were the political marvel he was thought to be, these races wouldn’t have been contests, but walkovers. So one consequence of this Election Day is the end of his special political magic.
That’s no surprise — as that magic was a largely substanceless froth whipped up by campaign consultants and compliant big-media cheerleaders. (Source)
