This week’s episode of The Game definitely had some explosive moments! Picking up from last week’s episode, Chardonnay decides to hold an intervention for Tasha at Malik’s house, even bringing her father over, to talk about the pregnancy that Tasha's been hiding! Of course, Tasha gets pissed off and almost fights Chardonnay, and I don't blame her. I don't care if Tasha is hiding it. It was not Chardonnay's place to put her business out there like that! Malik played a role in this because he didn't want his brother or sister to grow up without a father. Blue tells her that they are all concerned about her and the baby, but she doesn't want to hear it! She flashes her baby bump in front of everybody, and goes to leave. However, her father tells her to waddle her butt over and listen to what they have to say!


Turns out that this is a month after Kelly Pitts showed up, and there is a LOT going on. Jason apparently got into a "car accident" and hurt his arm (though we all know that he crashed into a trash bin on purpose to have an excuse as to why he was out so late, when really he was with Kelly!). Blue and Keira stress to everyone that they are not a couple, yet there’s clearly some romantic tension between them still. And poor Tee Tee has a pending lawsuit against his Cluck Truck! Everyone’s issues begin to overshadow Tasha’s intervention, but Chardonnay gets them all back on track. She understands why Tasha wouldn't want to call Pookie or Rick, but Tasha doesn't want her or anyone else in her business. At that moment, Yana comes over for Malik's training session, but he completely forgot. She comes in anyway to use the restroom. Meanwhile, Tasha fakes like she's using the phone to call the guys, so they'll leave her alone. When she gets caught, she blows up saying that she's already made up her mind that she's going to raise the baby on her own!

A little later, Keira and Blue meet up in the closet and make out, showing the audience that they are indeed back together. They want to hide it from everyone, though I honestly don't think that many people would care (sorry guys!). I understand their motives, though. Putting their relationship out to the public, specifically the media, they might put another strain on them, and break them up again. Might be better just to keep it private.

Back in the intervention, Chardonnay brings up the fact that Tasha thinks that she can do this on her own, just like with Malik. However, everyone knows that Malik didn't turn out the greatest, but Tasha feels like it's different now that she's rich. Blue thinks that it's very important for a child of color to have a father. He even brings up the great influence of his father, but Tasha calls him soft because of it. A knock comes at the door, and Tee Tee gets served with a lawsuit for serving bad chicken. He dramatically jumps in the hot tub. Jason pulls him out of the water with his "bad" arm, which Chardonnay sees, but Jason is able to get out of it.

Meanwhile, Blue makes the announcement that he and Keira are back together, but, like I said, NO ONE CARES. Jason jokingly (but still seriously) calls Tasha out for having two illegitimate kids now. Always with the quick comeback, Tasha puts his business out there about Jason being at Kelly's hotel room the night of the "accident," which I'm assuming Kelly told her. That shuts him up, and Tasha storms out! In shock and anger, Chardonnay storms out as well.

Before all of that, Malik goes out to find Yana, when he finds her crying in the bathroom, because she broke up with her girlfriend. She feels like Sasha is controlling, and she wants to be free. Malik talks about his past relationships, and admits he wants to be in love one day. In high school, he saw that he wasn't ready for that kind of love, and maybe Sasha's not ready for her. When they come down, everybody except for Jason is gone. Looks like he'll be staying with Malik for a while!

At the end of the episode, Tasha's dad comes to her room, and tells her to either tell Rick and Pookie, or he will! Tasha's relationships with both of them ended badly, but, as her father said, she shouldn't have to bear the load by herself again. Tasha doesn't want them involved unless they want to be, but she won't know that unless she calls them. This is Tasha's test, calling them. The guys' test will be if they step up to the plate, whichever one of them is the father. Pass or fail, she's going to be all right. A huge part of me feels like Pookie will be the father, which would be much more interesting and dramatic than if Rick was (I'm thinking like a writer here!). Guess we'll find out soon enough because Tasha looks pretty far along now!

Check out all new episodes of The Game on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. only on BET!

Image via BET

3:15:00 PM

Ok, so I'm not exactly sure where in the blogosphere my recap of the last episode of The Game went (literally, it disappeared!), so I'll just pick up where I left off. The gist of last week was that Malik is training to get back with the Sabers and Tasha doesn't know if her baby is Pookie's or Rick's! I owe this recap from last week's episode. Forgive me yall!

At the beginning of this week's highly anticpated episode, Malik and Jason talk about Ty Savage and his blackmailing attempt. Meanwhile, Brittany is arguing with Chardonnay about her pre-prom party, when the doorbell rings. When Jason opens the door, it's Kelly Pitts! EVERYTHING STOPS AND EVERYONE FREEZES! Jason hesitantly lets her in. Turns out Brittany invited her to come help out. Kelly hugs Chardonnay, and it, surprisingly, seems like they're going to be okay. At that moment, Tasha shows up and she and Kelly have a mini reunion! From the look on her face, Chardonnay feels a little put out by Kelly being there.


Meanwhile, Blue is on the side of the road picking up trash for his community service after his arrest. Keira tries to help, but the supervisor tells him that she needs to leave. Keira talks a lot of trash to him, which gets Blue seven extra days of service. Angrily, Blue tells her that his taking the rap for her wasn't an invitation to get back in his life. Keira gets mad, dumping his trash everywhere. Yup, they still want each other.

Later, Jason gets $500,000 cash to bribe Ty not to talk about his steroid use. Chardonnay tries to convince him not to, but he doesn't want his achievements to be taken away for one stupid mistake. Chardonnay just wants him to be honest, so they can move on. Later, Jason and Kelly joke around about how they used to be so cheap. They talk about the scandal, and Kelly tells him that he just made one mistake, and the situation doesn't seem fair (though when she first found out herself, she went off!). Chardonnay sees them talking and gets pissed off.

At Brittany's party, Chardonnay tries to talk to Tasha about her pregnancy news, but Tasha refuses. At that moment, the photographer calls out "Mrs. Pitts" to get a picture with Brittany and both Kelly and Chardonnay respond (oop!). He really meant Kelly, which makes Chardonnay even more jealous. On the TV, Ty Savage recants his entire story. His own "drug addictions" are what led to some hazy memories about the Sabers drug use. Chardonnay gets mad, thinking Jason paid him off. Turns out Kelly actually paid him off, pissing Chardonnay off even further. Kelly claims that she did it to protect the legacy of her family, to which Chardonnay responds by stepping up to fight. When Kelly leaves at the advice of Jason, Chardonnay calls him out before he even tries to defend Kelly. It's hurtful to her that Kelly came up in here like she did. I understood where she was coming from. To Chardonnay, she has been holding down Jason for the past two years or so, and to have Kelly just marching in and taking over to an extent is hard to be around.

Later that night, Blue finds out that Keira tweeted out an apology to get a clean slate. They talk about their breakup, with Blue clearly hurt that Keira bailed on him. She feels like he didn't fight for her at the hospital, even though she was the one who broke up with her. I get that, but then again, Keira, you have to deal with the consequences of what you did! You can't expect someone to come running after you when you broke up with them. Keira admits that she made a mistake and she does want him. She's never been in a real relationship before, and he was her first love. She wants him to tell her how to make it work. Blue leaves the apartment, just needing a minute to think things through by himself.

Meanwhile, at her hotel, Kelly packs to leave, but gets a visit from Jason. They end up having a passionate kiss! However, they both realize right after that it was a mistake. He just came there to thank her, but got caught up. They end up actually sitting down and talking about the past, and even Chardonnay. Kelly apologizes for stepping into Chardonnay's territory, and tells Jason that Chardonnay needs some time to adjust to the world of football that they know so well. They talk so late in the night, that Kelly misses her plane and now Jason has to deal with Chardonnay for being out so late. Wanting to make an excuse of why he was out, he crashes his car into a trash bin!

Check out all new episodes of The Game on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. only on BET!

Images via BET

7:50:00 AM

Here's some morning inspiration for you all! The Anvill Music Group is an urban contemporary and inspirational group that I had the pleasure to hear from and check out! (As always, feel free to send your work to my email! I'll check it out as soon as I can!)

The group's single "Made To Win," which features Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Anesha of APLUS, is a powerful mid-tempo ballad that lets listeners know that they are made to be strong and victorious! Thank God for that! I needed that right when Brett from the group sent it to me, so I'm passing it along in hopes that it makes you smile, and keeps you guys encouraged.

Check out the track below!

 

You can buy the track on iTunes now,and follow the Anvill Music Group on Twitter!

6:58:00 AM

Almost a year ago, I had the great opportunity to feature talented singer Olivia Gilmore on The Spotlight. Now, she has dropped a new song, "Matrix" for us all to enjoy, and I'm loving it! She channeled her pain of infidelity in a relationship into this emotional ballad, writing and producing the song herself! 

Check out the hot track below!






For all business inquiries or to find out more about Olivia Gilmore, you can email her directly, or connect on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and SoundCloud!

9:03:00 AM

Hey everyone! Another spotlight to start the week! (As always, email me if you are or represent an artist, designer, producer, etc., and would like to feature your work on the blog!) Today on The Spotlight, we have pop singer Gemini Wired!

Raised in Middleboro, Massachusetts, Gemini is the eldest of three children raised by a single mother. Her desire for the spotlight was evident at a young age, and her mom consistenly put her in dance classes and talent shows. At a young age she yearned for the limelight, which led to her mom putting her in dance classes and any upcoming talent shows. Inspired then by the Spice Girls, Aaliyah, and Missy Elliott, Gemini made the decision at the age of 10 to focus on singing rather than
dancing.




At age 15, the singer moved to Boston to live with her father. There, she began modeling, but the audition processes eventually turned her off from the business. She stayed with her father for a little over a year, but was forced to leave, facing the dilemna of finding a place to live while still in high school! In spite of her setbacks, Gemini finished high school and received a scholarship to Northeastern University! During her sophomore year, she refocused on her music, recording music with a close friend. The opportunity allowed her to experience singing background vocals and learning about song production. It also opened the door for Gemini to work with production team Lyve City, who she has collaborated with on a few projects.  

Gemini has really come into her own as an artist, choosing to go into pop music behind influences like the Black Eyed Peas, MIA, and Rihanna. She chose her stage name because she actually is a Gemini, and that term represents having several sides, which can be said the same of her music. "Wired" represents her high energy and crazy side!

Now, the singer is working on finishing up her EP and has kicked off her anti bullying campaign with her music video "What Now." The video brings to light the very serious issue of bullying, even using real-life clips of kids who have faced this problem with their own classmates. It was released back in October 2013, with production on the track from Lyve City.

Gemini said of the video:

"I myself have been bullied in the past. I've always been an advocate even as a kid. Bullying hurts, and it can make you severely depressed. Nobody deserves to be made fun of, picked on, or beat up because of who they are. I know exactly how much more it can hurt mentally than it can physically at times. I believe it?s crucial to report it whenever we see it occur before it becomes worse. If we can prevent by doing so it?s always a win for the potential victims. 

"The message behind my video "What Now" is to encourage everyone to go for whatever you believe in no matter how many times others may put you down or try to get in your way. We won?t let them. These bullies cannot beat us. My video also represents the consequences for people hurting others and how it always goes back to karma. I want my ?What Now? song & video to inspire as many people as possible. There's kids that have so much to offer and don?t know it because they want to hide their talents or intelligence. I don?t want them to be ashamed anymore. I want them to know people like myself and all these organizations have their backs. "What Now!"

Check out the video below!


BULLYING IS UNACCEPTABLE, and I hope that stronger guidelines and laws are established and enforced. I think it's great that Gemini is an advocate against bullying, and is using music to reach youth. She's a talented artist, and I'm sure there will be more great things to come for her!

You can check out more from Gemini on her official website and SoundCloud, as well as follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

8:07:00 AM

Another spotlight for you all! Music keeps coming in, and I'm loving it! As always, if you are or you represent an upcoming musician, singer, rapper, designer, poet, etc., please feel free to email me for a feature on the blog!  

Today, we have Canadian singer-songwriter Celleste! The singer, the youngest of four, grew up in a musical household. Her own dad was a musician, and that opened her ears to a lot of great music! "My brother introduced me to classic rock, my sisters helped me discover bubblegum pop, and my dad had me listening to country music. Quite the mix!" Celleste said. She's a big fan of Led Zeppelin, but also pop stars like Madonna, Lady Gaga, P!nk, and Justin Timberlake. The 30s and 40s eras of music are seeming to pop up more in her music these days, she stated. "I've always loved the feeling I get when I listen to singers like Ella Fitzgerald and Peggy Lee," Celleste said. "So even though I'm writing pop-rock, those flavors seem to be showing up more and more." Definitely an eclectic taste!

Originally from Montreal, the artist admitted that it wasn't her own music scene that had an impact on her sound. Even in her own city, she felt a bit like a "fish out of water." "Somehow I found myself 'California dreaming' at the age of 5," Celleste said, reminiscing about her love of American culture. "I knew there was something else out there for me, and I was determined to find it."
Celleste got her official start in music 10 years ago, after auditioning for a production show in her city, which was set to tour in the States as well. She saw the show as a major opportunity for her, and got the job! Her goal was to get as much stage experience as she could, and that's exactly what she did. "For three years, I was on tour performing 5 to 9 shows a week," she said. "When there was time off, I worked on other musical projects, and with other bands." Talk about ambition! Through that show, she met her future producer/co-writer and business partner. After the show, she began working on her first album, Ready To Fly in 2010, which was followed by her second album Join The Infestation in 2012.


Her latest project, Deconstructing the Infestation, is an EP that features songs from Join The Infestation, but remastered into an acoustic format. "Originally we had wanted Join The Infestation to be a double album, one acoustic and the other electric," Celleste said. "Because of time constraints, we were forced to hold off on the acoustic material. It was great to complete the entire vision."

Co-writer and producer Eric Dick worked with Celleste on the EP, which was released in November, along with Steve Bucci on drums and percussion, Bobby Stagg on piano and bass, and Hubert Maeux on guitar for track "Sick and Tired."Celleste stated that the EP gave her a chance to sing in a different way than usual. "The idea was to really explore the melodies, play with the keys, and have fun with harmonies," Celleste said of the experimental style. "Slowing down some tempos also gave me a chance to sink into the tunes in a way that you can't when they're faster." She also wanted to take her music back to the basics, jamming on the guitar on the couch, creating raw music, not just music produced in a rock context. The results are absolutely incredible! Two of her favorite tracks included "Sick and Tired," as well as "Bitter Pill, which has amazing riffs that add to "The Addams Family feel of the murder theme."(You have to listen to understand what she means *smiles*) You can snag your own copy on iTunes now!

Currently, Celleste is co-owner of her own music label, Mighty Music, working on developing the company and building her own portfolio as an artist. She's also involved in a lot of the creative side of the label, shooting and editing videos, graphic design, photography, and more! However, this year, she really wants to focus on live performing, hitting the stage as much as she can. "We've already got some dates and great showcasing opportunities on the calendar," Celleste said. "So my band and I are really looking forward to getting out and playing for people."

Something that she feels sets her apart from the pack, is that she's really involved with every aspect of her career, something that not a lot of artists these days can say. Her work on her label is intense, from designing a CD booklet layout, writing and recording in the studio, shooting photos, and the like, plus rehearsing, performing, dancing, and acting! That's a lot on her plate! "I don't know too many artists who get to oversee their entire career to that extent," she admitted. "It's a very creative lifestyle, and extremely fulfilling."

In terms of where she would like to be in the future in terms of her career, her answer is simple. "On top of the world," Celleste smiled. She has two sides to her music: the Gwen Stefani pop side, and the Steven Tyler rock side. "As I keep writing songs, the goal is to bridge the gap between the two, and find that perfect balance where edgy rock can live alongside melodic and fun pop," the singer said. "I feel like it's getting much closer, and I'm already excited about the ideas we have for the next album!"

Seriously, the girl is amazing! Her voice is filled with emotion and passion, and her music will rock you in a major way! You can check out more from Celleste on her official website, as well as connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!

6:50:00 AM

SEASON 7 of The Game just premiered last night, and I'm excited for what's to come! I've been recapping the seasons since the show came over to BET, so look forward to my recaps all season long!

Picking up from last season, Jason's Sabers jersey is getting retired since he is done with football, and the ceremony going to be a huge affair! We see Tasha getting Botox (is she feeling insecure about her age now?). Meanwhile, Keira and Blue have an awkward moment in the elevator on the way to the event. They're still broken up, but Keira looks to be missing him.

After getting beat down by Franco and his crew, Malik hasn't left his house (or bathed it looks like) in six weeks! He's depressed and bitter because the Sabers threw him off the team since his arm is injured. Jason and Chardonnay come through to convince Malik to come out, especially since Malik is supposed to be introducing Jason at the ceremony. Malik doesn't want to do it at all, seeing as though he'll see a lot of the same people he used to play and work with. As Jason gives up and leaves, Chardonnay tells Malik that he can't go out like this. He is also Jason's best friend, and she expects him to take a bath and get down there! I get Malik's depression, but it's only going to get worse if he doesn't find a way to get up and get on with his life.

Everyone comes out for the ceremony, including Jason's parents and daughter Brittany. At the bar, Keira tells Chardonnay that Blue basically ignored her, even in that hot dress she was wearing. She still misses him in her life and wants him back. Keira waltzes up to Blue's table, and his date Elyse comes up at that very moment. It's very awkward that they all have to sit at the same table, and Blue looks to be so taken with his date. I felt bad for Keira right there, but she brought it on herself. She broke up with Blue, thinking it was for the best, but instead of fighting to work through things, she gave up. She can't be mad that he moved on.

Meanwhile, Tasha, who looks a mess because of her Botox (everyone thinks she had a stroke!), flirts with Jason's father, who thinks she looks incredible. The nasty part is that both Jason's father and mother see her as a turn on, and go get it on in the stairwell! Ick! Chardonnay drags Tasha to the bathroom, knowing there is something going on with her, especially with that terrible Botox job. Tasha reveals that she thinks she's going through...the change.

Malik actually comes through to introduce Jason. Right before Jason takes his place on stage, a reporter named Omari McGee speaks to him about the season he won the championship. For a 35 year old, his numbers were high that yeah. He's implying that he may have had a little help...aka the steroids that Jason used a few seasons ago. Omari has a solid source within the Sabers organization, but wants to give Jason a chance to share his side of the story. Wow. I never thought that was ever going to come out, but hey, what's done in the dark....

When Malik introduces Jason, he's nowhere to be found. Jason ran to the bathroom sick to his stomach that this is all going to come out, right after he gets his jersey retired. So much can happen because of it. The championship Jason helped the Sabers get could even get revoked. While Jason's in the bathroom, Malik takes the time to go off on everybody really quick. Jason then comes back on stage and admits that no one will ever understand the risk that goes into playing the game that he loves, staring Omari down. He's proud that he made it through, and was able to win a championship for his team.

Malik leaves the ceremony to find his bodyguard Bibs at the bar. As they sit, Franco's music video comes on, and it's a diss record towards Malik! Franco goes in on how he beat him up, and even has a guy wearing his jersey in a wheelchair! Needless to say, that gets Malik all riled up, ready to put a hurting on Franco!

Back at the ceremony, Tasha gets nauseous all of a sudden. In the bathroom, Tasha admits to Chardonnay that she missed her period, and is gaining weight. Sounds to Chardonnay like Tasha may just be pregnant!

Jason tells one of his teammates Ty that the news about the steroids got out. Turns out Ty's the one who snitched himself. Jason then smacks him all over the place. Ty bashes Jason for never being there for him as a friend. It looks like Ty's trying to bring Jason down with him!

Meanwhile, Keira goes to the bathroom and the room is spinning because she's so drunk. While she's in the stall, she hears moaning from the next stall. She peeks over and sees Blue and Elyse having sex! Turns out that Keira's actually in the men's stall! She calls Blue out for being a typical athlete and tells Elyse that she should have more respect for herself  and recognize she's worth more than to be having sex in the bathroom, especially when they're in a hotel with beds! Blue, in turn, calls her a pathetic stalker, who follows him wherever he goes with sad puppy dog eyes. Keira angrily storms out, but Elyse, actually listening to her, leaves too!

Later, Malik goes to the studio to get revenge on Franco! As he and Bibs sit outside while Malik gets ready to go in, Tasha comes up to stop him, telling him that it's only going to make him feel good for a minute. Tasha reveals that she indeed is going to have a baby, and Malik is going to be a big brother. That made him feel a lot better! Turns out that Bibs called Tasha to stop Malik. That's a good friend.

At the end of the episode, Keira tries to get her keys to her car from the valet, but he won't give them to her since she's drunk. Instead, he gives them to Blue. When the two make a scene, a cop comes up to them wondering what's going on! Blue insists that Keira is drunk, but Keira sweetly tells the cop that she just wants her keys from him. The cop believes her, and tells Blue to give the keys back. Blue refuses, and when the cop gets in his face, Blue ends up punching him! Several cops come up to arrest him, with paparazzi snapping pics all the while! Keira manages to sneak off while it's all happening! Very crazy ending! I feel for Blue. He was trying to keep Keira from probably killing herself, and then gets sent to jail! It's crazy!

Looks like this season is going to be a good one! I'm beyond ready for Kelly to come back on the scene too!

Check out all new episodes of The Game on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. only on BET!

10:39:00 AM