R KELLY FOUND GUILTY OF ALL CHARGES
A Brooklyn jury deliberated for nine hours before finding R Kelly guilty of all nine counts against him. He faced racketeering and eight violations of the Mann Act. This marks the first time heâs been criminally prosecuted despite years of allegations of misconduct that have trailed him for a quarter of century. Now the 54-year-old is facing 10 years to life in prison when heâs sentenced on May 4thof next year.Â
Kellyâs case marks the first time a high-profile man in the #MeToo era has been held accountable for abusing Black women. Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, the acting US attorney in Brooklyn, said that the verdict sent a powerful message to men like Kelly. âNo one deserves what they experienced at his hands or the threats and harassment they faced in telling the truth about what happened to them. We hope that todayâs verdict brings some measure of comfort and closure,â she noted.
Meanwhile, Kellyâs defense lawyer wasn't pleased at all. âOf course we are disappointed in the verdict,âDeveraux L. Cannicksaid as he walked through the courthouse. âI am even more disappointed in the prosecution for bringing this case,â that was, in his opinion, âreplete with inconsistencies.â They are considering an appeal, but those may have to wait because Kelly's also facing a federal trial in Chicago on child pornography and obstruction charges, and additional state sex crime charges in Illinois and Minneapolis.
Source:New York Times
WILL SMITH OPENS UP ABOUT HIS UNCONVENTIONAL MARRIAGE TO JADA
Will Smith is opening up about his life in and out of the spotlight in a new memoir, âWill,â which drops on November 9th. He discussed it for the November issue of GQ. One of the things he spoke of is his relationship with Jada Pinkett Smith.Â
âJada never believed in conventional marriage,â the Oscar nominee explained. âJada had family members that had an unconventional relationship. So she grew up in a way that was very different than how I grew up. There were significant endless discussions about, what is relational perfection? What is the perfect way to interact as a couple? And for the large part of our relationship, monogamy was what we chose, not thinking of monogamy as the only relational perfection.â
And while Jadaâs dalliance with August Alsina was front and center last year after August disclosed it, Will was careful to reiterate that she wasnât the only one who engaged in âentanglements.â He didnât go into details, though. What he did was this â âWe have given each other trust and freedom, with the belief that everybody has to find their own way. And marriage for us canât be a prison.â He added, âI donât suggest our road for anybody. I donât suggest this road for anybody. But the experiences that the freedoms that weâve given one another and the unconditional support, to me, is the highest definition of love.â
Source:GQ
BILLIE EILISH CHANGED HER HAIR COLOR TO GAIN "ANONYMITY"
Billie Eilish revealed her new blonde hair back in March, and apparently there were many reasons why she wanted to change things up. In her interview with "Elle" she reveals that one of the main reasons for the new hair color was because with her signature black and green look she stood out too much.
âI couldnât go anywhere with that hair because it was so obviously me. I wanted anonymity,â she shares. âI went to a park with a friend, and I was like, âNo, I canât take off my hood!â I was terrified of the paparazzi and these stalkers Iâve had." She adds, "But my friend was like, âDonât worry: Youâre okay. Nothingâs gonna happen.â And I took my hood off, and I felt like a new person.â
The new color also helped her mark a new era with her latest album âHappier Than Ever.â She notes, âIâve had different-colored hair and vibes for everything Iâve ever done. I wanted this album to have its own thing.â
Source:Elle