Tyra Banks: AT 17 and a siza 4, "I would've been considered to heavy to model".
Tyra Banks has created a multi-million-dollar empire with her own production company, her hit reality series "America's Next Top Model," her own syndicated daytime talk show that had a five year run, and a book franchise. But none of it would have ever happened had the 5' 10" beauty not landed her first modeling contract as a teenager more than 20 years ago.

Had the timing been different, however, Banks now she says wouldn't have been able to become a model in the first place. Why? In an "open letter to models" published in The Daily Beast on Tuesday, the 38-year-old says the size 4 figure she flaunted when she first kicked off her career wouldn't have flown in today's fashion industry. "The truth is that if I was just starting to model at age 17 in 2012, I could not have had the career that I did. I would've been considered too heavy," Banks writes. "In my time, the average model's size was a four or six. Today you are expected to be a size zero. When I started out, I didn't know such a size even existed."

In fact, she reveals she began dealing with rejection midway through her modeling career as her body began to change. "In my early 20s I was a size four. But then I started to get curvy. My agency gave my mom a list of designers that didn't want to book me in their fashion shows anymore," Banks shares. "In order to continue working, I would've had to fight Mother Nature and get used to depriving myself of nutrition."

The real goal of the letter, however, was to "celebrate" Vogue's recent decision to ban models who "appear to have an eating disorder" from all 19 of its editions worldwide. "When I started modeling, I used to see models who seemed unhealthy backstage at fashion shows. They appeared to be abusing their bodies to maintain a certain weight," Banks continues in the letter. "These girls were booked over and over again for countless fashion shows and photo shoots. I'm sure many of you today have witnessed this, or even live it. Now, real progress is finally on the horizon. Vogue is stepping up, doing the right thing, and protecting that girl. Perhaps that girl is you!"

The former Victoria's Secret model isn't alone in her fight to get the industry to focus on featuring healthy bodies rather than those with eating disorders.

Prior to this year's New York Fashion Week in February, designer and president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, Diane von Furstenberg, sent out guidelines to participating designers on how to best handle suspicions that a model is suffering from an eating disorder, and required them to provide models with healthy meals and snacks backstage. Around the same time, Israeli lawmakers essentially banned skinny models from catwalks, ads, and billboards, passing legislation that says that modeling jobs cannot be given to anyone with a body mass index under 18.5.

Still, some models believe that it's not the industry that's to blame. "I never suffered this problem because I had a very strong family base," supermodel Gisele Bundchen told Brazilian newspaper Globo in 2007. "The parents are responsible, not fashion."

But Banks believes that Vogue's decision is a very fashionable step in the right direction … and she knows just how to mark the occasion, writing: "This calls for a toast over some barbecue and burgers!"

Well, Tyra, you might have to make it grilled chicken over greens to get any actual models to join you.

By Lizbeth Scordo.   A-Line Celebrety Style.           


Beyonce titled World's Most Beautiful Woman by People Magazine.
She's an entertainment force of nature, 16-time Grammy winner, and beauty and style icon. But Beyoncé is proudest of one title that also happens to be her most recent: mommy to little Blue Ivy Carter.

"I feel more beautiful than I've ever felt because I've given birth," says PEOPLE's 2012 World's Most Beautiful Woman. "I have never felt so connected, never felt like I had such a purpose on this earth.

"The "Crazy in Love" singer, 30, and her husband of four years, Jay-Z, 42, have gone gaga for Blue, born Jan. 7 in New York City. "She's just the cutest thing," gushes Beyoncé, who croons one-of-a-kind tunes to her daughter and professes to "love" changing diapers.

So who does her daughter most resemble? "She looks like Blue," says Beyoncé, who is back to her pre-pregnancy weight and gearing up for her first post-baby concerts, Memorial Day weekend at the Revel Atlantic City. "She's her own person."

"The best thing about having a daughter is having a true legacy," she adds. "The word 'love' means something completely different now."
           

Nicki Minaj takes over Times Square with live performance.
Times Square was brought to a standstill on April 6, 2012 as Nicki Minaj teamed up with Nokia to perform live for the launch of the Nokia Lumia 900 with Windows Phone in North America, in New York City. Tens of thousands of people watched Nicki perform a medley of her hits before a prominent Times Square building was turned into a living, breathing entity in time to the unique Nokia Lumia 900 remix of her hit single ‘Starships’. Nicki Minaj performed Starships, Right By My Side, & Super Bass.
                      
           

Congratulations Melanie Fiona winning 2 Grammy awards, 2012
The 28-year-old Cadnadian/Guyanese claimed the prizes for best traditional R&B performance and best R&B song for her Cee Lo Green collaboration “Fool For You.” 

           

Congratulations Stephen Marley winning the Grammy award for best Reggae album 2012 (The Revelation part 1). Well deserved and a good album. Stephen won over his brother Ziggy Marley who was also nominated.

Shaggy, Israel Vibration and Monty Alexander also lost to Stephen Marley.

           
           

Melanie Fiona named as one of MTV's "Most criminally over looked artists of 2011".
This year has been a big year for Melanie Fiona, having been nominated for several Grammys and performing non stop all across the country.

However, some may say that she is still overlooked and is not receiving the accolades that she deserves. MTV has compiled a list of the most “criminally overlooked” artists of 2011, and the Guyanese songbird was included as someone should definitely receiving more attention from the masses.

MTV had this to say about Melanie Fiona.
Melanie Fiona generated a ton of buzz with her 2009 debut, The Bridge, and its smash single “It Kills Me,” which topped the R&B charts and earned the Canadian-born chanteuse a Grammy nomination and a slot opening for Kanye West on his European tour. But things have gone inexplicably quiet on the hype front, despite her tracks doing the seemingly impossible and actually improving in quality: If any song deserves accolades, it’s her most recent single, “4AM,” a slow-burning jam that sees Melanie totally dragging her no-good, cheatin’ man through the mud over a pulsating, minimalist beat. Sexy, sultry, and savage: Just the way I like it. — Sam Lansky. 

1. Rihanna (47,571,000)
2. Black Eyed Peas (42,405,000)
3. Eminem (42,290,000)
4. Lady GaGa (42,078,000)
5. Taylor Swift (41,821,000)
6. Katy Perry (37,620,00)
7. Lil Wayne (36,788,000)
8. Beyonce (30,439,000)
9. Kanye West (30,242,000)
10. Britney Spears (28,665,000)

           
Bob Marley lands at number 11 on VHI top 100 Greatest Artists of all time.
The Reggae legend Bob Marley makes his mark in musical history again landing at # 11 in VH1 top 100 Greatest Artists of all time.

The Beatles taking the top spot with Michael Jackson in the second spot leaves some fans surprise at who they thought would be in the top spot.
Some of the biggest names in the music industry voted on this list, congratulations to all Marley fans and Reggae music.

Here is the top 12 from the list of VH1 Top 100 Greatest Artists of all time.

1.  The Beatles
2.  Michael Jackson
3.  Bob Dylon
4.  Led Zeppelin
5.  Rolling Stones
6.  Jimi Hendricks
7.  Prince
8.  Elvis Prseley
9.  James Brown
10. Stevie Wonder
11. Bob Marley
12. David Bowie

           
Machel Montano is top Caribbean Entertainer of 2011.
While everyone is fussing over who made it to VH1 Top 100 Greatest Artists of all time list, here is my pick for the number one Entertainer from the Caribbean.
Machel Montano, HD Soca King.

Machel the hardest working entertainer from Trinidad & Tobago has taken Soca music to a higher recognization through out the world. His high energy performance on tour or his music in the dancehall, in ipods and radio is definately creating a buzz worldwide.

The music genere SOCA which is somewhat new to some parts of the world is being exposed to them via Machel Montano and some internet radio GT Koolout Radio which plays Reggae & Soca 24hrs online.

Machel was chosen Top Caribbean Entertainer 2011 over Movado, Vybz Kartel, Beenie man, Busy Signal, Tarrus Riley, Demarco, KES, Bunji Garlin and Benji.

Rihanna was not considered. She in a class by herself.

Written by Brian-Kool. Jan, 28, 2012.   comments           
           
           
Nicki Ninaj the new face of Mac Viva Glam
Nicki Minaj and Ricky Martin will team up for the MAC Viva Glam Ricky and Viva Glam Nicki lipsticks that will launch in February 2012. All sale from the product will be donated to help fight HIV and AIDS. Since 1994 the MAC campaigns have raised $224 million for HIV/AIDS-related causes. Minaj and Martin are currently shooting the adverts with Dave LaChapelle in Miami. Past Viva Glam spokespeople also include , Lady Gaga, Mary J Blige Christina Aguilera, Boy George, Missy Elliott, Fergie, Elton John, and Pamela Anderson.

July 29, 2011