» Arts & Culture

National Community Reinvestment Day | “Warren Ballentine #1 Truthfighter”

UBO Editor — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:51:14 +0000

Tomorrow is the day! Will you take the first challenge and invest back into our communities by opening an account at a black owned bank? I will, because at the end of the day the only thing our country pays attention to is money and power and those two things bring about the leverage to have your interests furthered. And boy do we need that as Black people. Want to know more?
Check out the press release for National Community Reinvestment Day.

Find out more about Warren Ballentine & his radio show the Truthfighters

Maxwell & BlackSummersNight | “My Night with Maxwell”

UBO Editor — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:05:06 +0000

On August 5, 2009 I had the pleasure of watching Maxwell wrap up the first leg of his Black Summer’s Night tour in Durham, North Carolina. Prior to this, yeah I loved Maxwell’s music but after seeing this man live I have become a huge fan of the man, his new look and his music. Maxwell will be starting the second leg of his tour by hitting larger venues this go around, and if he is stopping anywhere near a city near you go and see him. Seeing him live actually makes me want to throw his pre-recorded songs away and only hear him sing live. He opened the show with “Get to Know Ya” and closed it with the first song that introduced most of us to him “Acension (Don’t Ever Wonder)”. Maxwell live is sensual, funny, vocally on point and his band is to die for. He twirled panties women threw on stage like nunchuks (too funny), laid down on the stage as he sang “lay on me” from “Gestation” and graciously thanked his fans for selling out the Durham Performing Arts Center.

Being that it was the last show he introduced the band and his background singer and showed his more shy and reserved side. Oh and I have to give it up for his opening act Mary, Mary. These ladies threw down and got the audience rocking . I will be sure to see Maxwell the next time he tours for the second installment of his trilogy Summer which he describes as a “gospel, funk” type record. In honor of him coming back in such brilliant fashion I created a playlist of my favorites. Enjoy yall!

Check out the Official Maxwell Site
Follow Maxwell on Twitter
BLACKsummers’night (CD/DVD Deluxe Edition)

No related posts.

Grooveshark | “UBO Tribute to Michael Jackson”

UBO Editor — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 13:00:21 +0000

When it comes to online music or streaming music there’s AccuRadio, Rhapsody, Napster and Pandora and I have used just about all of them to listen to music online but my new favorite service is Grooveshark. It is the self proclaimed way to listen to any song in the world for free.

What I really love about Grooveshark is the ability to find exactly what songs or artists you like and create playlists based on your favorite songs that play uninterrupted. So no annoying commercials just music. You can also do other cool things like listen to other people’s playlists, add your own music and add share your playlists by email or in your blog.

In honor of the King of Pop music Michael Jackson and a month to the day since his untimely passing I created a Grooveshark playlist of my favorite songs. It’s quite comprehensive and covers songs from the Jackson 5, The Jacksons , duets and Mike as a solo artist. I hope you enjoy!

Celebrity Hair Stylist Darico Jackson

No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency | “Jill Scott Starring Role in HBO Series”

UBO Editor — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 14:30:16 +0000

Don’t’ forget to watch The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency premiering on HBO tonight Sunday, March 29 at 8pm. Watch Jill Scott bring to life the role of Precious Ramotswe, from the best-selling novels by Alexander McCall Smith, as she pursues her dream of opening the first and only female-owned detective agency in Botswana. The series also stars Anika Noni Rose in the role of her secretary, Grace Makutsi.

Plus congratulations to Jill Scott on her pregnancy!

Know of an amazing woman in your community? Enter her in the No.1 Ladies Contest to win a trip to Botswana.

Check out trailers of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency @HBO.com

No related posts.

Hitting Newsstands | “March Issue of Upscale”

UBO Editor — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 12:00:12 +0000

Pick up the latest issue of Upscale Magazine. Here is a sneak peek of what you will find in the March issue.

The Talented Twenty
Countdown of the highest paid entertainers in Hollywood.

Party Over There!
Find out what to do when one part of a couple is a social butterfly and the other isn’t.

Hair
Learn how to achieve the a bed-head look just for you.

Shout
Turn your passion into profit with journalist Kimberly Seals-Allers book Mocha Manual.

Money
Get tips on how to start your own film company & save on your auto insurance.

And much more… so pick it up.

Visit the Upscale Magazine website.

Hitting Newsstands | “February Issue of Upscale Magazine”

Book Review:Act Like A Lady,Think Like A Man | “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Men”

UBO Editor — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:00:39 +0000

Let me start by saying this first. I am by no means a Steve Harvey fan. When I think of a king of comedy he never really crossed my mind. I’m not a fan of his radio show nor his stand up comedy. So when I heard of him writing a relationship book for women I thought it would be one more among the many tired relationship books penned lately by black men. Basically I had no intention of reading it.

But then I started to give his show a listen on my way to work and got a new impression of him during his “Strawberry Letter 23″ segment. This is when a letter is read on the air from a listener wanting advice from Shirley Strawberry and Steve on various topics. During this segment I noticed an honest and genuine Steve Harvey that I just hadn’t heard before. Yeah he does a lot of clowning around during his radio show (which I usually don’t like) but his relationship advice on how women should deal with men was right on point. So I decided to give his book: Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment a preview.

Once I started reading it I was pleasantly surprised. It was insightful and was well written with a humility I really didn’t expect from Steve Harvey. It didn’t have an angle from a specific point of view nor was used as a platform to spout any rhetoric. It was just the facts about what women need to know about how men think period.

I recommend this book for all single ladies out there who are just starting to talk to a guy and wondering “where is this going to go”? And ladies in relationships who are wondering what’s going on in their man’s head. If you have little sisters, nieces any young women just getting into the dating world or even a friend making a lot of mistakes with men get this book.

Table of Contents:Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment

Chapter 1: What Drives Men
Chapter 2: Our Love Isn’t Like Your Love
Chapter 3: Three Things Every Man Needs: Support, Loyalty and the Cookie
Chapter 4: “We Need to Talk” and Other Words That Make Men Run for Cover
Chapter 5: First Things First: He Wants to Sleep with You
Chapter 6: Sports Fish vs. Keepers How Men Distinguish Between Marrying Types and Playthings
Chapter 7: Mama’s Boys
Chapter 8: Why Men Cheat
Chapter 9: Men Respect Standards- Get Some
Chapter 10: The Five Questions Every Women Should Ask Before She Gets In Too Deep
Chapter 11: The Ninety Day Rule- Getting the Respect You Deserve
Chapter 12: If He’s Meeting the Kids After You Decide He’s ” the One”, It’s Too Late
Chapter 13: Strong , Independent- And Lonely- Women
Chapter 14: How to Get the Ring
Chapter 15: Quick Answers to the Questions You’ve Always Wanted to Ask

Read an excerpt & find out what others thought of:Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment

Faces of Beautiful You | “Webisodes 1&2:Blind Date in Sight/ Perfect Eyes On the Prize”

UBO Editor — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 17:54:47 +0000

Urban Beauty Online is in partnership with HSN and FanRocket to provide you with reviews on beauty and skincare products available through HSN.

FanRocket created a great interactive experience with the “Faces of Beautiful You” website. Join Hallie, Smith & Nicki as they as they go about their busy lives and shows us how to use the all the great products and deals on beauty products you can get from HSN.

Keep checking back for updates and product reviews on all the products the girls are using. In the meantime get started with:

Webisode 1: Blind Date in Sight. Smith and Nicki grill Hallie about her blind date. Did she like him? Did she use the “naughty” side of her Too Faced palette? Smith also reveals she’s working in a dentist’s office as the front desk. The job might stick because she’s got a great smile, but might not because it involves speaking to children.

Webisode 2: Perfect Eyes on the Prize Smith takes her time getting ready for her big interview at a luxury spa, a sight unseen for Nicki, who pressures her to begin her usually extensive (and time consuming) beauty routine. Smith, however, feels no pressure thanks to her Discovery Kit.

Coming up in Webisode 3:
I will be doing a review on products featured in the episode: Perlier Milk & Vanilla Bath & Body Duo.

No related posts.

Hitting Newsstands | “February Issue of Upscale Magazine”

UBO Editor — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:00:27 +0000

Here’s a sneak peek of the Febraury issue of Upscale:

“Something In Common”
On the eve of the release o fthe new film chronicling the life and times of rap legend Christopher “Biggie Smalls” Wallace, his widow Faith Evans and Angela Bassett, who plays his mother in the film, open up about the ties that bind them: God, marriage, motherhood and one potentially Notorius blockbuster.

Take Two
Can you make love work the second time around?

Beauty
Sam Fine tells you how to look good nude.

Hair Maintenance
Loosen your curl pattern without going completely straight.

Money
Bounce back from bankruptcy.

Fitness
Melt away the pounds with this new exercise trend.

………and much more. Pickup the new issue on newsstands now.

(Help Upscale celebrate 20 years of showcasing the affluent lifestyle for African-Americans. Pick up the latest issue or subscribe online.)

What’s Your Hair Type? | According to “Andre Talks Hair!”

Scrubs on ABC |”What’s New on TV in January”

UBO Editor — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:38:11 +0000

I don’t watch that much television. Much of what comes on doesn’t excite me at all; but one show that stole my heart is “Scrubs”. I discovered it on one of the many televisions stations that has it running in syndication about two seasons ago. This lead to me recording every episode from its last two seasons and then I heard at the end of last season that it’s future was uncertain. I was quite distraught to learn that the show that I had just discovered may be over and done with. But now it’s back and on ABC. I don’t really know why NBC saw fit to give it the boot but who cares it’s their loss. I love the humor, the diverse cast and the easy way it can turn on a dime, become serious and cause you to think.

So if you haven’t watched an episode of “Scrubs” or lost interest when the last season ended, you can catch season 8 starting on ABC tonight @ 9:00 and 9:30.

Check out a little Q&A about the new season of “Scrubs”…..

Picture courtesy of givememyremote.com

No related posts.

Album Releases: Brandy, Musiq, Keyshia, Jamie & Avant | “Christmas Stocking Stuffers”

UBO Editor — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:00:12 +0000

I know we are at the half way point of this month,but there are a few great albums getting ready to drop and that have already dropped. I’m bringing them up now because you may be at a loss about what to get someone as a stocking stuffer this Christmas. So if your are a music lover or know someone that is you might want to pick up one of these new releases.

December 9, 2008 Releases:

Brandy- Human

It’s great to see Brandy back. She not only looks great but she also sounds great.Her voice is clear and her new sound is very modern with a pop appeal. Check out the preview to listen to the entire album.

Avant -When It Hurts

I have to admit I wasn’t an Avant fan when he first stepped on the scene. I kept confusing his voice with R. Kelly’s. But when the song “Read My Mind” came out it instantly caught my attention and I’ve been following him ever since. What I really like about the songs on this album are that they have depth, they aren’t just all about sex. He even did a remake of the 80′s hit “Sailing” by Christopher Cross. Make sure to check out his version.

December 16, 2008 Releases:

Keyshia Cole -A Different Me

Coming out today is the much anticipated album by Keyshia Cole, A Different Me. This album showcases a more sophisticated Keyshia ready to show her more sensual side. A Different Me definitely delivers with several mid-tempo ballads that I she has become famous for. “Where this Love Could End Up” sounds like a hit to me. Check it out.

Jamie Foxx-Intuition

What I like about Jamie is that he makes truly contemporary R&B music. Nothing poppy, nothing jazzy, just straight up R&B similar to 90′s R&B. The first half of the album is up tempo with lots of songs featuring guest artists like T.I. and T-Pain while the second half is one you can put on for a evening with the one you love.

December 17,2008 Release:

Musiq SoulChild- OnMyRadio

If you need to have a glimpse of the past with a bit of the future Musiq album OnMyRadio is the obvious choice. This album is a perfect example of the neo-soul sound that put Musiq on the map. The single “If You Leave” with Mary J. Blige is already one of my faves.