Hello World,

I’m going to be honest. I cannot name not one Kim Burrell song, but nevertheless she is a very popular gospel singer. And yet, despite singing the gospel she only seems to have negative press. And this latest story is no different…unfortunately…Most recently, it’s being being reported that she revealed a private conversation she had with Jay-Z aka Beyoncé’s husband which led to the creation of his song 4:44 on the We Sound Crazy! Podcast. Below is what she said…

“He called me and said, ‘Hey, when my wife is going through it, I always know because I hear you playing in the background.’ He’s says, ‘My wife locked up one day for 11 hours and I heard nothing but Kim Burrell for 11 hours. Here’s why I’m calling you. When she came out, she was better. She was so much better. He says, I’m calling you because I need to have a meeting with the person that made my wife better.'”

See the full interview below. The Jay-Z portion of the interview starts at about 33 minutes…

Now, some are bashing her because she revealed some of the personal life of the Carters, who seem to be as private about their personal lives as they can be given their celebrity status. Initially, I was thinking that way too but as I type this, I’m not sure if I feel it’s negative or not. Now, if someone shared information with you in confidence and you, in turn, shared the information with others, that is most certainly a negative as it’s a violation of trust. However, that conversation led to the creation of Jay-Z’s song “4:44” in which he apologizes to his wife for various infractions including infidelity…Since he put his business out there, I’m not sure that the conversation that led to him putting his business out there via his song, which features the vocals of Kim Burrell, by the way is wrong. At the very least, her revealing this conversation does make me think that maybe Jay-Z did cheat on Beyoncé. Because after reading her biography “Becoming Beyoncé: The Untold Story,” written by J. Randy Taraborrelli, I share his opinion about the matter…

“Now, I’m not a psychic, I’m a biographer, and I can’t say that Jay Z didn’t have a one-night stand in a tour bus a week ago, but I do know from my studying of Beyoncé [that] her personality is such that if in fact she was actually having marital problems, she would not be sitting down writing songs about it for the nation to dissect and interpret. That’s not who she is. She’s too private a person to handle her marital dysfunction for the world to see and examine. More likely what she’s doing is she’s possibly writing about her mother’s marriage and what she witnessed there. That sounds like Beyoncé.” Read the rest of this story on yahoo.com.

Given that this podcast episode was released in October 2022, I’m not sure why this excerpt recently surfaced, but that’s the power of these Internet streets. Something can be dug up from a decade ago and be poppin’ again…Be careful out here…Anywho…

What do you think about Kim Burrell and this latest headlining story?

Any thoughts?

The post Kim Burrell Reveals on ‘We Sound Crazy!’ Podcast that Beyoncé Listened to Her Music for 11 Hours Straight Due to Jay-Z Marriage Issues… appeared first on After the Altar Call.

Hello World,

So in addition to folk getting up in arms about the ticket prices to Beyoncé ‘s “Renaissance World Tour,” which was announced last Wednesday, folks are also criticizing Tasha Cobbs Leonard for praying for Beyoncé. More specifically, they are criticizing her for the actual prayer that she prayed. Below is her prayer that she posted on her IG page.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Tasha Cobbs Leonard (@tashacobbsleonard)

I don’t necessarily see anything wrong with that prayer although it probably could have been a private prayer but in our social media-driven lifestyles, much of what we formerly kept to ourselves is now fodder for our feed…

Marcus Rogers, whom I must admit I’ve never heard of before today, but who is a minister according to his website,  did not respond to the prayer in the way that Tasha Cobbs Leonard anticipated. Below is his response:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Marcus Rogers (@marcusrogerschildoftheking)

How do I feel about his prayer? I feel he has a right to pray in the way that he wants to just as much as Tasha Cobbs Leonard has a right to  pray the way she wants to…I will let the good Lord decide which prayer He intends to answer. Or may He may answer both but it may not be in the way that either of them intended when they prayed…I will say this, after the pandemic, if your personal relationship with God doesn’t include discernment regarding spiritual matters, you should pray for discernment because otherwise you will be dumb out here…I would not go to a Beyoncé concert for spiritual direction and furthermore, she does not market herself as an artist who provides spiritual direction…I would go for entertainment purposes only as I enjoy some of her music. However, on the other hand, there are some secular artists who openly provide spiritual direction. I went to a Kem concert (Soul II Soul Tour) last night, and he had everyone stand up and give God praise for making it through the pandemic so…

Incidentally, this spring, the powerhouse women of Gospel and Christian music are coming together for a must-see worship experience. Kicking off on Tuesday, April 25 at James L. Knight Center in Miami, FL. GRAMMY-winning artists Naomi Raine and Tasha Cobbs Leonard, 9x GRAMMY-nominee Natalie Grant and globally renowned vocalist TAYA will join together for “It’s Time Tour 2023.”

“It’s Time” will visit 21 cities across the U.S. including Atlanta, New York and Houston. Fans can expect to see solo performances from each artist. The co-headliners will also share the stage for a few songs each night.

IT’S TIME 2023 TOUR DATES:

Tues., Apr. 25 | Miami, FL | James L Knight Center

Wed., Apr 26 | Bradeton, FL | Bayside Community Church

Thurs., Apr 27 | Orlando, FL | Calvary Orlando

Fri., Apr. 28 | Jacksonville, FL | Florida Theater

Tues., May 02 | Atlanta, GA | Fox Theatre

Wed., May 03 | Charlotte, NC | Ovens Auditorium

Fri., May 05 | New York, NY | Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden

Sat., May 06 | Philadelphia, PA | The Met

Sun May 07 | Washington, DC | The Theater at MGM National Harbor

Tues., May 09 | Boston, MA | Boch Center Wang Theatre

Thurs., May 11 | Wallingford, CT | Toyota Oakdale Theatre

Thurs., May 18 | St. Louis | Faith Church

Sun., May 21 | Houston, TX | 713 Music Hall

Mon., May 22 | San Antonio, TX | Summit Christian Center

Wed., May 24 | New Orleans, LA | Saenger Theatre

Thurs., May 25 | Birmingham, AL | BJCC Concert Hall

Fri., May 26 | Southaven, MS | Landers Center

Sat., May 27 | Nashville, TN | Ryman Auditorium

Tues., May 30 | Cincinnati OH | Princeton Pike Church of God

Wed., May 31 | Indianapolis, IN | Murat Theatre at Old National Centre

Thurs., Jun 01 | Wyoming, MI | Grand Rapids First Church

Click HERE to buy tickets…

Anyway, that’s all I have to say about that…

What say you?

Any thoughts?

The post Tasha Cobb Leonard’s Prayer for Beyoncé As She Goes on ‘Renaissance’ Tour Causes Controversy… appeared first on After the Altar Call.

Hello World & Happy New Year!!!

I’m BAACCCKKKK! Have you missed me? I hope so…I’m hoping you will still rock me as I attempt to get started in the new year after another long break. Why have you been away, you ask? I was working on a ginormous freelance project that took all of my extra attention outside of my job, family life and other regular responsibilities. And as I said in my blog description, “I typically blog on Sundays and Wednesdays (to coincide with Sunday Morning Church Service and Wednesday Night Bible Study), but sometimes I may post more or less depending on what is going on in my life… If God can be patient with me, I hope you can too!”

So here we go…

OWN (Oprah Winfrey, baby) never fails to captivate me with its programming and the network is starting off 2023 with a show that will keep my attention every week! Since I wrote a whole novel about single black women, it is a no brainer that I love that OWN’s new show “All The Single Ladies,” which endeavors to provide a provocative view of intimacy and dating in the modern world from the perspective of black women across the nation. The unscripted series debuted on Friday, January 6 at 9pm ET/PT, and new episodes will debut every Friday night concurrently on both OWN and Discovery+.

Each episode will feature four black women of various ages and relationship statuses sitting down to explore a different topic. The conversations will sometimes be comedic and at other times will be heartbreaking, but they will always be real, authentic and heartfelt with the common goal of finding and wanting love. Below is the trailer:

I watched the first episode entitled Side Chicks which featured Crystal, a 42-year-old healthcare industry professional; Jameela, a 42-year-old marketing executive; Nicole, a 43-year-old public health professional; and Stephanie, a 42-year-old marketing director. I loved that the women are in their 40s so they spoke with maturity in the interview format of the show. Additionally, I loved that while the women are attractive, they are not the usual “baddies” that you see on television. They are normal looking women without a lot of accoutrements, if that makes sense. And they had different body types as well. Also, I appreciated that while each of the women served drama i.e. how side chicks derailed their relationships, it was not over-the-top drama that drives much of fake reality television.

Crystal married a guy who was 10 years younger than she was and the guy kept dating like he was still still single. Scandalous! Jameela ended up dating a dude who got her and another woman pregnant at the same time and she referred to the babies as “ghetto twins!” Ha! Nicole received anonymous letters detailing her man’s cheating and till this day she doesn’t know who sent the letters to her. Scary! Stephanie was with her man for three years before he ended a marriage proposal to her with the word “Pysch!” and she kept seeing him afterward. Confusing! Another aspect of the show that I appreciated was how the women spoke about how their upbringings may have affected their dating lives AND they took responsibility for their part in the situations although these men were mostly at fault in my estimation…

Below is an official episode description followed by a few clips from the show and descriptions of the remaining episodes:

Side Chicks – Imagine being pregnant and newly married, only to find out the father of your child has been cheating? Or realizing your long-term boyfriend lives a separate life with someone else? Or seeing on social media that your boyfriend has gotten his ex-wife pregnant? After learning their partners have been unfaithful, four women must make painful choices about their relationships. Below are a few clips from the first episode…

The Swirl Life – When a study abroad trip quickly turns into an interracial, international love affair, a TV reporter discovers that being color blind is no longer the goal. After blind dating online for five years with a man from a different race, a dietician finally meets her boyfriend. A black woman from Compton dates a white man from Malibu. A writer in the coast guard lands her first kiss at 26, leading to a relationship that forces her to make hard decisions about her future.

Why Women Cheat – We often hear about men cheating, but what about women? Four women share their personal journeys from commitment to infidelity and finally, to peace of mind.

Raised By Religion – A teacher confronts her sexual identity, a stand-up comic tolerates an unfaithful husband and two preachers’ daughters rebel against their upbringings. This episode follows four women’s journeys as they break the rules, challenge their religious beliefs and search for true love.

Bad Boys – Four women — a massage therapist, a treatment counselor, a baker and a musician – talk about their past relationships with fast-talking charmers who turned out to be toxic. The women share their tough decisions in an episode that explores relationship illusions, the fear of being alone and personal self-worth.

What Just Happened? – A nurse is blindsided by her husband’s homosexuality, a court liaison reevaluates her long-term relationship with a cheating boyfriend, a writer’s world is turned upside down when the man of her dreams becomes abusive, and an entrepreneur is ghosted by the man she loves. In this emotional episode, four women tell their stories of infatuation, heartbreak and rebirth.

Sexual Awakenings – A comedian attempts to find love with a man before finally embracing her sexuality as a lesbian; a flight attendant finds her own sexual sweet spots after a sexless relationship with a preacher; a chef finds love after a Hot Girl Summer turns into an Auntie Spring; and a seasoned writer finds fulfillment through long-distance sexting.

Red Flags –  Through laughter and a few tears, an educator, a comedian, a business executive and a medical professional talk about their hard-earned lessons after ignoring the red flags in their previous relationships.

Now, what is confusing to me is that while all of the press materials have stated that the show debuted on Friday, the episode Red Flags, which is supposed to be the final episode, already aired. At any rate, if you would like to watch Side Chicks and Red Flags, you can go to oprah.com

And forgive me for going here, but it is my blog…LOL…If you ALSO like to read about single black women and drama, please check out my aforementioned novel Destination Wedding. In fact, the Griffin Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated (my beloved sorority) is currently reading it in a four-meeting, online Book Chat Series. The second meeting was Friday, but there are two additional meetings that will be held in February and March. In other words, there is still time to read the novel and get caught up!

To register for this open Book Chat Series, which is on Zoom, click HERE!

Finally, because I do love relationship drama (if it is not my own LOL), I will be watching Prince Harry tonight at 7:30 on “60 Minutes” on CBS! He did not just leave the monarchy. He is torching the joint! Below is a clip from the interview!

Any thoughts?

The post OWN Debuts Provocative New Unscripted Series ‘All the Single Ladies’ appeared first on After the Altar Call.