Urban Lifestyle

After being anointed one of the new faces of NYC hip-hop, BX representative French Montana has a boatload to live up to. With his long…

Waka Flocka Flame has been talking about his upcoming Flockaveli 2 album for months, usually saying it'll come later this year without mentioning a date. That's changed now though. The rapper took to Twitter on Tuesday (May 21) to announce an October date for what will be his third LP. "October 5th #FlockaVeli2," Waka tweeted [...]

Famous Stars & Straps recently dropped a new tee series, dubbed "Old English." The drop features a range of tees with Old English styled lettering, all available in black, aside from the "Hood Vision" tee that features the slogan, "Gangster Rap Made Me Do It." The FMS "Old English" Tee Series is available now at [...]

Dear Tamara: I have a class 5 felony conviction on my record for cashing a fraudulent check. Yes, I know it was stupid, but it was 10 years ago. I was fresh out of college, broke, and did not have many resources. I had a small child to take care of and could not find a job. I was desperate and made a bad decision that I am still paying for 10 years later. Despite the fact that I have a college degree I cannot find a decent job because of the felony conviction. For years I have been working labor intensive jobs for very little pay. I need a better paying job so that I can provide for my family. I am very frustrated that no one wants to give me a second chance or look beyond the mistake I made years ago to see my skills and potential. I am tired of struggling and just about at the end of my rope. Can you give me some advice on how to get a better job despite my felony charge? Need a Second Chance Dear Second Chance: You are not alone in your struggle and frustration to find gainful employment after a conviction. Just about every job application asks if you have been convicted of a felony and/or misdemeanor. First, I encourage you to keep applying for jobs that fit your interests and qualifications. Having a criminal record may complicate your job search, but it is not an impossible situation. Second, always be completely honest about your circumstances. Don’t lie about your conviction and/or pray that the employer will not follow up on your background check. By being honest you are accepting responsibility and taking control of the situation. Many employers, depending on the industry, may have certain restraints when hiring felons due to bonding issues, etc., but others may have flexibility and take into consideration the details of your situation. You may particularly have trouble with a class 5 felony because although it is a less severe felony, it is associated with theft and dishonesty. Many employers will not take the risk or give you a chance when your crime is associated with a theft. But again, that is not the end of the world. There are many programs that assist felons with job placement; you should try to find one of those in your area. You can also lean on your family, friends and network. Many people own their own businesses and are in charge of who they hire. They may be more open to hiring someone in your situation and giving you a chance to prove your skills. Have you ever thought about becoming and entrepreneur and starting your own business? There are also grant programs that assist people who have been incarcerated and/or have convictions to start their own businesses. If you have a hobby, passion, or special skill, you might be able to turn that into a business opportunity. As an entrepreneur you will be your own boss and then maybe you can help others in your situation and give them their second chance. Tamara Hartley is Your Advice Guru giving REAL advice from REAL experience. She uses her personal life experiences and lessons learned to give others a different perspective and help them make critical decisions in their life, relationships and careers. Email your questions to advice@youradviceguru.com. You can follow Tamara on twitter @drtamarahartley and check out her column archives at www.youradviceguru.com.

The Great Gatsby debuted atop of the box office when it dropped a week ago, but if you haven't seen it yet, Pepsi Pulse offers up a review. Below is a brief excerpt (via Pepsi.com): F Scott Fitzgerald's classic, complex novella of bad timing and lost love in the Jazz Age has been brought once [...]

Rev. E.W. Jackson, who narrowly won the right to run as the Republican Party’s standard-bearer for lieutenant governor in the upcoming Virginia election, is the latest black Republican to distinguish himself more for his outrageous statements than his ability to broaden the party’s base among minority voters. It’s the latest setback for a party that dearly wants to find its own version of Barack Obama. Jackson, who won on the fourth ballot at the party’s convention, and will run alongside far right Virginia Attorney General Ken Cucinelli, is being compared to Herman Cain, the failed Republican presidential candidate known for his wacky pronouncements about foreign policy (remember “Uzbekibekibekistan?”) and his “9-9-9″ economic policy, which he never could actually explain. In Jackson, who holds very strong anti-gay views, Virginia conservatives found someone who wouldn’t water down his — and their — beliefs. But the national GOP is cringing at the thought of Jackson turning off centrist voters in the increasingly centrist state. Following in the footsteps of other far-right firebrands like former Florida congressman Allen West (who will soon join Fox News as a contributor, and who made a name for himself saying he “can’t stand” president Obama, telling his tea party supporters to “gather their muskets” and march on the tyrannical White House, and calling 87 House Democrats “communists,” while claiming to be the Harriet Tubman who would lead black voters off the “Democratic plantation” — a mission he seems to have failed at, spectacularly…) Jackson is making news for his rhetoric. He has said President Obama harbors “Muslim sensibilities,” whatever that means, and has compared Planned Parenthood to the Ku Klux Klan. He also has said that there is basically no difference between homosexuality and pedophilia, and that gays’ secret agenda is to “sexualize our children at an early age.” Not exactly fodder for winning over independents. Broadening the tent, but at what cost? It’s clear that the GOP, still reeling from Mitt Romney’s totally expected (though not by them) loss to Barack Obama in 2012, would like to broaden its tent. The party has been aggressive about promoting its non-white stars: from embattled South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, both of whom are Indian-American, to their Hispanic stars, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and fiery Texas Senator Ted Cruz. But why does the Republican Party seem to have such a hard time attracting mainstream black candidates? Recently, the GOP has seized on potential African-American conservative stars like famed Johns Hopkins surgeon Dr. Ben Carson, only to have them go up in a ball of rhetorical flames. For Carson, like Jackson, it was his extreme views of gays, in an age when acceptance of same-sex marriage has reached majority status, that ended his meteoric rise in conservative media circles. Are Cain, and West and Carson and Jackson and … remember Alan Keyes (who tried to take the “birther” cause to the Supreme Court, only to be turned away by none other than Clarence Thomas?) … the best the party of Lincoln can do? Former RNC chairman Michael Steele, now an MSNBC political analyst, say she doesn’t believe the Republican Party has a “black man” problem. “There’s a difference between a convention of a few thousand people selecting the nominee for whatever office, and the entire Republican Party selecting a nominee through a primary process,” Steele says, referring to Jackson. “Keep in mind, this gentleman ran statewide for the Senate in 2012 and got less than five percent of the vote in the primary.” Rhetoric backfires on Republicans But Republican primaries have also produced less-than-viable Senate candidates, from Ri

When Deanna Cook placed a frantic call to 9/11 last August 17th, her attacker — her ex-husband — could be heard in the background saying “I’m gonna kill you.” But 9 minutes into the call, despite Deanna’s shrieks, no police officer had come. In fact, it took nearly an hour for Dallas police to arrive at her home, after the officers reportedly stopped for water at a local 7-Eleven store on their way to the house. Now, Cook’s family is taking legal action against the city of Dallas and its police department, which they say treats 9/11 calls from predominantly black neighborhoods differently than calls from affluent and white neighborhoods. The Dallas mayor denies that, but there’s no denying the tragedy of the family’s loss. Watch Part one of the “Dateline” piece that aired on Friday above. And in Part two, below, Dateline’s Kate Snow talks to the 911 operator accused of a callous response to Deanna’s frantic call. Part Two: the 911 operator speaks

As his anticipated Excuse My French debut hits stores, French Montana sits down for an interview with Rise24.com to discuss misconceptions, pressure, and coming up under Diddy. During the interview, the New York rapper opens about the makings of his debut LP, the value of mentorship from Diddy and Rick Ross, and his transition from [...]

Vanessa Williams in ABC’s “666 Park Avenue” – Season 1, Episode 6 *Just when you thought the Vanessa Williams series “666 Park Ave” was dead and buried, ABC has announced it will bring back the supernatural drama and run out the remaining episodes this summer. The cancelled series will return on Saturday, June 22, with the unaired episodes slated to run in the Saturday 9 p.m. slot for four weeks. In the series, Williams plays Olivia Doran, the sophisticated ice queen of the Drake residential hotel located at 999 Park Avenue. Olivia is married to the building’s owner Gavin Doran (Terry O’Quinn), and together this supernatural couple – quietly and with a smile – wreaks havoc on their chosen targets in the building. “666 Park Ave” will be paired with another short-lived ABC freshman drama, “Zero Hour,” whose unaired episodes will launch on June 15 from 8-10 p.m. and will air in the Saturday 8 p.m. hour starting June 22, leading into “666 Park Ave.” Below, Williams compares the Dorans to two of New York’s most notorious moguls. Meet the Dorans in the video below.