Urban Lifestyle

Five-Time Tony winner Audra McDonald peforms onstage for the ‘LIVE From Lincoln Center’ performance during the PBS portion of the 2013 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at the Langham Huntington Hotel & Spa on January 14, 2013 in Pasadena, California *So how does one become a Broadway superstar? While there are countless paths to New York’s Great White Way, beginning actors all cite the same three pathways to the big stage – audition, audition, audition. “I auditioned for a lot of summer stock, and then I auditioned for ‘The Secret Garden’ on Broadway, and I got cast in the national tour instead,” says Tony winner and former “Private Practice’ star Audra McDonald, who takes center stage on Friday’s broadcast of PBS’ “Live from Lincoln Center,” which she also hosts. It was during the national tour of The Secret Garden when McDonald got her first agent. “And the agent,” she recalls, “said they are doing a production of Carousel with a color-blind cast at Lincoln Center. ‘We want you to go in for it.’ Then Carousel happened. That was in September of 1993. Audra was 23-years-old. By her 28th birthday, the actress was a three-time Tony winner for her performances in Carousel, Master Class, and Ragtime. On Friday, May 24, she wraps her seven-broadcast run as host of “Live from Lincoln Center” with her own Lincoln Center concert, “Audra McDonald in Concert: Go Back Home.” (The title derives from the song “Go Back Home” in the Kander and Ebb musical “The Scottsboro Boys”). Backed by a 35-piece orchestra she will take a musical trip through Broadway history with songs from Cole Porter, Gus Kahn, John Kander, Frank Loesser, Irving Berlin, Stephen Sondheim, George Gershwin, Adam Guettel, Gabriel Kahane and Jule Styne. Below, Audra McDonald says she hopes her run as host “Live at Lincoln Center” helped to stir some passions among a younger, more diverse and social media-driven audience. Watch a preview of “Audra McDonald in Concert: Go Back Home” below. Watch Audra McDonald: Go Back Home – Preview on PBS. See more from pbs.

Who remembers Montana Fishburne, aka Chippy D, the daughter of actor Laurence Fishburne? She made some noise back in 2010 when she appeared nude in…

*AT&T is partnering with Cee Lo Green and the group that birthed him, the Goodie Mob, to encourage youth, and probably sell some cell phones. According to a press release, the group will be a part of the “Elevate Young Black Voices” online talent contest and sweepstakes. Aspiring singers will have a chance to win a two-hour private mentoring session and an opportunity to perform live with Goodie Mob this June. “This contest is just one of the ways AT&T empowers, honors and gives back to the diverse communities we serve,” says Matt Teshera, Sr. Diversity Marketing Manager – West Region, AT&T. “AT&T and BlackBerry are eager to provide a platform, that with Cee Lo and Goodie Mob’s coaching, can honor Black Music Month by helping discover an artist who elevates and edifies the community.” “BlackBerry believes that with the right technology in the right hands, amazing things can happen,” says Adrian Faull, Vice-President, Channel Marketing. “We’re proud to support a program that can inspire and encourage young African-American artists to pursue their talents, and we look forward to the music that will be created.” Those interested in competing can log onto www.att.com/voices and complete their online submission form. Participants are required to submit a video link of their talent. There will be four grand prize winners, two of which will be chosen by Cee Lo and the Goodie Mob. “I have had the unique opportunity to find and cultivate talent throughout my career, and I am ecstatic that with my Goodie Mob brothers by my side, we are in a position to work with AT&T and BlackBerry to help ‘Elevate Young Black Voices’ through this contest,” said CeeLo Green.

HACKENSACK, New Jersey (AP) — Mary J. Blige and her husband have been hit with a $3.4 million tax lien in New Jersey. Court documents show the Internal Revenue Service filed a notice of a lien on the nine-time Grammy Award winner Feb. 7. That was two days before the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul was honored at a pre-Grammy party in Los Angeles. Blige and husband Martin Isaacs have a home in Cresskill, New Jersey, north of New York City. Court documents show as of the date of the IRS notice Blige owed more than $574,000 for the 2009 tax year, more than $2.2 million for 2010 and more than $647,000 for 2011. A Blige representative said Thursday she’s working “with her new team to resolve all these issues as quickly as possible.” Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

He dropped some of the hottest joints back in the day! Now the same man that  brought you”Give Me That” and “Independent” is letting you…

A Charlotte, N.C. woman reportedly had her teen son arrested for stealing her Pop-Tarts. Earlier this week, the mother called investigators to report her Pop-Tarts stolen and told officials her son was the thief. The police report said her son was  placed under juvenile arrest and was charged with larceny/misdemeanor, according to WCNC. Fred Patrick, a neighbor of the family, told WCNC that the son “seems real nice to me. I mean, he is real respectful.” Fellow neighbor, Tiffany Covington, said kids will be kids. “If would be nice if they asked, but they don’t,” Covington said.  ”They are kids.” Follow Carrie Healey on Twitter @CarrieHeals.

Rapper May Have Faked His Own Death To Avoid Debt 90's rapper Tim Dog was reported dead from diabetes earlier this year, but suspicious details in the death have left room for reports that he may have faked his own death to avoid the incredible amount of debt he had. Now a judge has issued an arrest warrant, but should his family be able to provide a death certificate, he'll drop it.

Remember when it came out a couple weeks ago that Jay-Z took Foxy Brown‘s virginity and gave her gonorrhea? Well, Foxy is saying that all…