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We're keeping the ESSENCE Fest party going with ESSENCE Live! On part two of today's episode: Slayed or Shade with Estelle, a Kid and Play dance-off, ESSENCE Fest confessionals and more!
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00:00What's up Essence Live? I'm Dana Blair and I'm back for one of my favorite parts of each and
00:19every show Slade or Shade. Joining me today I have songstress Estelle. Hello, hello, hello. I have the
00:28beautiful style expert, Miss Ty Beauchamp. What's up everybody? Hey. And coming back to the stage, Love and Relationship Editor, Miss Charlie Penn. Hello, hello, hello. All right, are y'all ready to jump into Slade or Shade? Sure. Are y'all ready to jump into Slade or Shade? I need some energy, y'all. I mean, we don't sleep around here. Okay, it's Essence Live. All right. So first question. During an Essence Festival Q&A session moderated by film producer Will Packer,
00:58Mike Epps had a message for women on Instagram. He told his mainly female fan base to only show off their boobies and booties if they're getting paid. He said, and to quote,
01:11if you're on Instagram, use it to promote yourself as a brand. The internet is to sell something, he told the crowd. Instagram is the new block. Get your money.
01:21So, is this a Slade? Because with women making 64 cents on the dollar compared to men, sure, we're all for women getting that money. Or is this a Shade? Because he's implying that there's no value in women's bodies unless they're getting money for it. All right. So on the count of three, what do you have? Slade or Shade? One, two, three. Oh, we have Shade all across the board.
01:43We're over him. We're over him. Okay, Estelle, I'll start with you. I mean, I know he's a comedian, so you kind of take it with a grain of salt.
01:50But I just think it was like, uh, no. Not the most tasteful thing to say? It's just, it's a bit obvious. You know, it's a little bit like, come on, sir. No, this is a, there are thousands of women here.
02:02There are thousands of women here. You really want to say that right now? That's what you want to do? Right, that's really what you want to do?
02:07And women that I'm sure have, like, worked hard to, you know, either not be perceived that way. And women who just aren't that way.
02:14And just, you know, value themselves a little bit more than just their tits and their arse. So, yeah, I think that was wrong.
02:19All right, thank you for that. Slightly ill. Ty?
02:22My voice is a mess, but I'm echoing every single thing that Estelle said. It's so misogynistic. Like, bye, boy. I'm sorry.
02:31I don't need to be told to show my boobs to be paid for anything.
02:35Right, I understand that.
02:37Not good. No bueno.
02:38Not good. Shade all the way.
02:40Shade all the way.
02:41Charlie?
02:42Cosine, cosine, cosine.
02:44I mean, my guest does not get to tell us what to do with our bodies, even on Instagram.
02:49We can have several seats.
02:51I completely agree with all of y'all, too, by the way. Even though nobody asked me, I'm just saying.
02:54Well, we're happy that you're in accord. Thank you.
02:58I'm in the pool. So, topic number two.
03:01We all heard the news of NeNe Leakes leaving the Real Housewives of Atlanta, but it seems like Bravo already found a big time.
03:07Replacement.
03:08Allegedly, Kim Fields is rumored to join the cast of the upcoming season.
03:14So, do we think it's a slay because we all love Tootie and Regine Hunter, and it's nice to see her back on TV?
03:21Or do we think it's a shade because it cheapens her brand? Slade or Shade? What are your thoughts?
03:28I think slays.
03:29Slay, slay.
03:30We're all agreeing.
03:32Ty, I'll start with you this time.
03:33I mean, like you said, I love Tootie. I thought I was Tootie. I used to skate around the house. Okay, I did that.
03:39In the house?
03:40In the house, I did. In the house.
03:42I got a whooping or two about it, but it happened. But I think it's really probably a positive thing for Kim. You know, since she hasn't been on air regularly, she could possibly use it as a platform to launch some bigger things.
03:58NeNe is doing bigger things, so let's celebrate NeNe for moving on and figuring out what those other things are, and let's give Kim the opportunity.
04:05Okay.
04:06And perhaps it won't be so mean. You know what I mean? Perhaps, maybe.
04:10It could change the tempo of it. It could change the tempo.
04:12I want Tootie to be sweet, though. I'll be honest.
04:14You want sweet Tootie. I understand that.
04:15I actually want to see a mushroom. I want to see a mushroom on her or a topknot. I totally do.
04:21And a topknot.
04:21And you don't want to ruin the memory of Tootie.
04:23Yes.
04:23I understand that itself.
04:24I remember Regine, so I'm just excited to see her back on TV.
04:29And I think any way you can really, A, promote yourself now, period.
04:34And, B, get money in acting, you should probably do it within reason.
04:40She's not being asked to be naked. She's not being asked to degrade herself.
04:43And I think within these shows, what you give is what you get.
04:47So if she goes out there and she does something great and she goes on the show and she's not about being mean or whatever,
04:53I think it's a perfect platform. Do what you've got to do. Have fun.
04:55That's a good point.
04:56Yeah, why not?
04:56Charlie?
04:57I think it's a slay on both sides.
04:59It's a slay for NeNe because she's earned this and she's moving on to something that makes her happy and she's worked hard for that.
05:05It's a slay for Bravo because they found someone to replace her that we want to watch and we want to see and we can keep the show interesting.
05:11And people are interested in.
05:12Absolutely.
05:13They want to see what's going on with her.
05:15Okay, topic number three, our final topic.
05:17Jordan told the, excuse me, Claudia Jordan told the No Judgment Zone audience here at the Essence Festival in the Convention Center that she was proud of how she portrayed herself on The Housewives of Atlanta when host Kiki Palmer asked her if she receives criticism for what some may feel portrays black women on TV in a negative light.
05:37Jordan says people make a big fuss when black women on reality TV fight but are silent when white women do it.
05:42That's a direct quote.
05:43Is this a slay because she was right when she said everything black people do is amplified if it's negative and minimized if it's positive?
05:50Or is it a shade we shouldn't compare ourselves to other folk shows, just do what's right for us?
05:58That's a good one.
05:59I mean, this is interesting.
06:00Slay or shade, show me what y'all are thinking.
06:02Show me what you're thinking.
06:03Say it again.
06:04Say it again.
06:05The slay, she was right when she said everything black people do is amplified if it's negative and minimized if it's positive.
06:13That was the slay.
06:15The shade is we shouldn't compare ourselves to other folk shows, just do what's right for us.
06:21Oh, Charlie has a shade.
06:23Estella has a shade.
06:24Yeah, I think it's a shade.
06:26Hi, has a shade.
06:26Estella, I'll let you start.
06:27I think, again, you take yourself on the show and you do what you gotta do.
06:34So, you know, whether or not they're hyping us up in one space or another, you are responsible for your actions.
06:40You shouldn't hold, I don't think it should be a point of like, well, if I fight here, I'm gonna be, you know, like, that's just, so what?
06:49Like, you do you.
06:50You be the best you that's possible.
06:52Concentrate on who you're gonna be, who you're portraying yourself to be.
06:54That's, that's all that should matter.
06:56That, all of that.
06:57Well, I can't because I'm black.
06:58What?
06:59Right, right.
07:00It's not a factor.
07:01Right.
07:01Don't, don't do that.
07:02Don't do that.
07:03Ty?
07:04My thing is, is that I'm saying it's a shade because like Asel said, you do have a responsibility.
07:10But the reality is too, is that we have to start to take responsibility for our community
07:16though, because we have to recognize that the images that we portray on television and
07:22in the media and in essence and everywhere else is impacting the way that people see themselves.
07:27And it's also either encouraging young people to go one way or another.
07:31So it's shade.
07:32We don't have to compare ourselves to other people, but we better start to take responsibility.
07:37Charlie, you have the final word.
07:38Shade, shade, shade.
07:39And I agree with these ladies.
07:42I mean, it doesn't matter whether it's amplified or not.
07:45How we are portrayed always matters.
07:48You know, someone is always looking and it really doesn't matter whether someone else is
07:52getting away with murder or getting away with more or less.
07:55You represent yourself, right?
07:57Because you represent all of us, all black women at any moment, you know, when you're
08:01putting yourself out there in media.
08:03Thank you very much.
08:04Can I have a round of applause for everyone who joined us on the panel today?
08:07Estelle, Typochamp, Charlie Penn.
08:09And don't go anywhere because we'll be back with more Essence Live as we have our final
08:13round of the King and Queen of Essence Festival.
08:16Hey, this is your boy, Thomas Miles, nephew Tommy.
08:23I am the official host of the Essence Festival.
08:26This is my sixth year, so I'm considered the ambassador of the Essence Festival.
08:30Today is all about Essence Festival confessionals.
08:33Well, we kind of give you some insight on what goes on behind the scenes because you have
08:37no earthly idea what goes on backstage, side of the stage.
08:41So today, we're giving you Essence Festival confessionals.
08:44You won't believe the stories that they're going to drop out.
08:47Here it is.
08:47Hi, I'm Corey Murray, entertainment director at Essence Magazine, and I've been going to
08:54the Essence Festival for 15 years.
08:56So I am a lifer.
08:58I love when we take over the city.
09:02And when I say we, I mean we, like us, our people, you know, the community.
09:08We take over New Orleans from the plane, from the restaurants, from the streets, everywhere.
09:16Not just the Superdome and the Convention Center.
09:18I mean, we are everywhere, and I love it.
09:20About two years ago, I was at the Marriott on Canal Street, and, you know, our people,
09:26you know, the folks, was converging in the hotel lobby like we do, which, you know, is
09:31what we do.
09:32And I saw this family, and I'm, not to generalize, but I'm sure they were probably from Ohio or
09:38somewhere.
09:39Did they just say that?
09:40They were, you know, they were white, clearly looked like they were on a nice family vacation.
09:45They were hugging their pillows, because they looked around and was like, oh my God.
09:49The man was holding his pillow like, what the hell, what do we get?
09:54And they had little kids.
09:56It was so cute, because they were just like, oh my God.
10:00That's what they were doing.
10:05What's up?
10:06I didn't feel bad for them.
10:07I just, it was just laughing, because clearly they had no idea what was about to happen in
10:13New Orleans July 4th weekend.
10:14All right, you got me.
10:15I'm with you on that.
10:17No doubt about it.
10:18But what I love most is seeing celebrities become real people.
10:22I think, of course, Aretha Franklin is the queen of soul.
10:25She is an icon.
10:27She is a legend.
10:28But she also is Auntie Riri.
10:30So when Auntie Aretha, Auntie Riri, came out at Essence Festival a few years ago, and all
10:35of a sudden, you saw that she brought her purse with her.
10:37I was like, this, she not playing.
10:39Y'all not about to take not a dime from Auntie Riri today.
10:41See, this is what I'm talking about right here.
10:43She played all her classics, but she made sure that her purse was within eyesight.
10:48So I'm not mad at it, girl.
10:49Go ahead, enjoy your show, and make sure you got your money.
10:53I'm with you when you write.
10:54You write on this.
10:55I'm with you.
10:55I'm Charlie Penn, the Essence.com Relationships Editor, which means I have the pleasure of
11:02working with a lot of the celebrity couples.
11:04Believe it or not, Boris Kojo and Nicole Riri Parker are absolutely as adorable in real life
11:10as you think they are on the screen.
11:11Absolutely.
11:13OMG.
11:13And seeing them behind the scenes with each other is amazing, because we already know
11:18that they're cute, and they're so in love, and they've been together, but a lot of times,
11:22I think, you know, sometimes we think with these celebrity couples that they're just turning
11:26it on for the cameras.
11:27Not in their case.
11:29Last year at Essence Festival, I interviewed them twice at two different activations on the
11:33center stage.
11:34I was watching them.
11:35I was in the corner, like, getting all mic'd up.
11:37When I look over, and there's Boris Kojo and Nicole Riri Parker, and he's seriously, like,
11:42checking her teeth, she's, like, shining his baldy, they're, like, glowing and looking
11:47at each other.
11:48Oh, you believe in any of you.
11:49And they're just, like, flirting and being all annoyingly cute, and I just looked over,
11:54and I'm like, seriously?
11:55They're both that gorgeous and that adorable?
11:58And I looked over, and they were just, like, so flirty, and all that spice and all that
12:02fire was 100% there.
12:04And then they just walked out and shared the love.
12:07There it is.
12:08Essence Festival Confessionals.
12:10They got some crazy ones in there, some funny ones, some of them are dead on point.
12:13I hope that you are here at the Essence Festival.
12:16If you're not, make sure you stay tuned to Essence Live so we can get you the four-by-one-one
12:20on what's going on at the Essence Festival.
12:23We make you feel like you're here.
12:40To the Essence Festival also works for the nurses, all we have, in neighborhoods, so we can get you the four-by-one-one.
12:46You live in a better place than you're here.
12:48You live in a downtown, where you please feel like, you're out there.
12:50Bye.
12:51Bye.
12:52Bye.
12:54Bye.
12:56Bye.
12:57Bye.
12:57Bye.
12:58Bye.
12:58Bye.
12:59Bye.
13:00Bye.
13:00Bye.
13:01Bye.
13:01Bye.
13:01Bye.
13:02Bye.
13:02Bye.
13:02Bye.
13:03Bye.
13:05Bye.
13:05Bye.
13:06Bye.
13:07Bye.
13:07All right, all right. Welcome back to Essence Live. It is time for the final round of the
13:16King and Queen of 2015 Essence Festival. Are y'all ready? Y'all ready? All right, so each one of our
13:23pairs has been backstage working really, really hard preparing a 30-second dance duo. They're
13:28going to have a dance face-off right here, and we have two very special guest judges with us.
13:34Put your hands together for Kid and Play. Hello, hello. What's up, what's up, what's up, what's up,
13:43what's up? Welcome, welcome. Thank you for joining me. What's good, what's good? How have y'all been?
13:48Very well, very well. Thank you, thank you. What's up, what's up, Essence? What's up?
13:53Are y'all enjoying y'all's Essence Festival? Very much so. They're working on us a lot,
13:56and we're thankful, but we're having a good time. What's not to like? What have you two been up to?
14:01A lot of shows. Yeah, this year has been very busy. As you may or may not know, it's the 25th
14:06anniversary of the release of the movie House Party, so we're out there promoting that and
14:10thanking y'all, the fans, for all the love you've shown us over the years. Give it a...
14:14Where did the iconic Kid and Play dance come from? It came out of urgency. Yeah, right. You know, we were
14:21two guys that were used to having dancers behind us in our New York shows, Philly, Jersey, but when it was
14:28time for us to really start touring, we couldn't bring the dancers. It wasn't in the budget.
14:32Got you. So we had to come up with some dances that still reflected our energy, our good times,
14:37excitement, and Kick Step was part of it. It works. Did y'all think it would be so iconic?
14:43Everybody's doing it? Who knew? I don't think we thought that 25 years later,
14:48people would still be doing it, but we're glad they are, so, you know.
14:51All right. Do it. So are y'all ready to judge this competition? Let's do it.
14:55All right. So first up, we have Julie and Frederick. All right. Go take to the center stage.
14:59Show me what you got. All right. Here we go. DJ, cue that music.
15:03Oh. Uh-oh. Oh. Uh-oh. Uh-oh.
15:06Uh-oh. Uh-oh.
15:10Oh. Oh. He's so serious.
15:13Topic. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. There you go.
15:16How you doing all that? How you doing? Not the right beat for it, but, you know.
15:19Oh. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. I appreciate the effort. Uh-oh.
15:22Oh, the bump. The bump. Do the bump.
15:24They're doing the bump. Soul train. All right. There you go. That's it. That's it.
15:27All right. Give them a round of applause. Give it up. Give it up.
15:29All right. Our second couple, Somalia and Bernard.
15:33Y'all ready? Show us what you got. Here we go. Ready?
15:36That's what's up. Got the disco ball top.
15:38Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Uh-oh.
15:41What? Oh. Oh. Uh-oh.
15:45To the side. Back to the middle.
15:48Uh-oh. Driving the call.
15:49Right. Back to the left.
15:51Oh. Uh-oh. Uh-oh.
15:52Oh. Oh.
15:54Get fucking with it.
15:56Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Big finish.
15:58That's a maneuver. Big finish.
15:59We had a maneuver. The big finish.
16:00That was a big finish.
16:01How y'all feeling so far?
16:02That was good. That just happened.
16:04Yeah. That was a big finish.
16:06Yes, it did. Just happened.
16:07He carried it over the threshold.
16:08All right. Our third and final couple, Monet and Bugsy.
16:11Y'all ready? All right. Take to the center.
16:12All right. Here we go.
16:15Here we go. Couple number three.
16:16Let's go. That music.
16:18Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Uh.
16:22They're doing the jogging there.
16:25Uh-oh. Yes, man.
16:28Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
16:29They're doing the vogel.
16:32Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Uh-oh.
16:34Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh.
16:35Oh. Oh. Oh. No. No.
16:36Hey. They're kids. They're kids in the house.
16:38Legs up. Legs up.
16:40We got children. This is a family show.
16:43This is a family show.
16:44Give it up one more time for all of our contestants, please, and thank you.
16:48I smell bacon.
16:49All right, judges, I'm going to give y'all a moment to deliberate amongst yourselves
16:52before we crown the king and queen.
16:57I smell bacon.
17:00Everyone, give it up for Diane and Ryan.
17:03Oh, all right.
17:05So I'm going to let y'all announce the winners.
17:09What, it's up to us?
17:10Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
17:11It's up to y'all.
17:12It's up to y'all.
17:12Who do you want to do?
17:13I give it to the one who jumped up at the arm.
17:15Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, give it to that one.
17:17All right, we're going to go with, wait a minute, wait, wait, wait, wait.
17:20Y'all help us out.
17:22Can we turn the music down a little bit?
17:24Y'all help us out.
17:25Uh-oh.
17:27Come on, y'all.
17:33Come on, they did the...
17:35Whoa.
17:37Yo.
17:38It looks like it's home.
17:39They did the jogging, man.
17:40People have spoken.
17:41Here we go.
17:41Steps to the front.
17:43It's Monet and Bugsy.
17:45They ain't got the most votes.
17:47Give me a round of applause.
17:47They took that decision.
17:49You took too long.
17:50They took it out your hand, partner.
17:55No.
17:55Hey, hey.
17:57You want to go...
17:57Those proms look really great on you guys.
18:00Thank you to all of our contestants for being really, really good sports.
18:03Thank you to all of you.
18:04Thank you to Kid and Play, our guest judges.
18:06Thank you very much.
18:07And give it up for your beautiful host.
18:09She's been a beautiful Italian host.
18:10Thank you very much.
18:11Thank you very much.
18:12Got beautiful legs.
18:13Don't you agree?
18:13Great.
18:15All right.
18:15Oh, and also, check out TB1, July 15th, Kid and Play, Unsung.
18:21That's what's up.
18:22There you go.
18:23A big shout out to Yara Shahidi and Gia Peppers who join me as correspondents in the audience.
18:27Thank you so much.
18:28That wraps up Essence Live 2015 Essence Festival Edition.
18:31Keep it locked right here on Essence.com.
18:34And don't forget to tune in next Thursday, 4 p.m. Eastern Time, 3 p.m. Central for Essence Live.
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