Yaaaasss!

We’ve been anticipating its release, and spell it how you want, Janelle Monae and & Erykah Badu have brought the funk, fashion and freedom fight to the visuals of their recent collabo, “Q.U.E.E.N.”

Mixing high fashion trends and a socially conscious “music weapons program”, these queens show that even though “the booty don’t lie,” you don’t have to bare it all to get down (twerks and all). And, yes, it’s the music that gives them life.

Press play above and stay tuned for updates on Janelle’s new album, The Electric Lady, which is scheduled for release this fall.

Carol’s Daughter’s Transitioning Movement recently launched a new web series “The Curl” to give natural hair care advice, styling tips and insight on our different hair textures.

Directed by Dominique DeLeon, the latest episode, “Moisture: In Search of the Perfect Oil,” hosts leading natural hair  bloggers as they explain that water is NOT the enemy and share their experiences and tips on how they’ve learned to get, seal in and maintain moisture in their hair.

Press play below to learn how to beat the dry hair blues.

Grammy-award winning R&B singer Ashanti just premiered the visuals to her latest single, “Never Should Have” Entertainment Tonight .

The third single from her forthcoming album, Braveheart, has Ashanti dealing with an emotional loss of a former boo (Nelly?) and seems like a perfectly timed release after her (awkward) interview with the Country Grammar rapper earlier this week.

Braveheart is slated for release June 11, under her own label, Written Entertainment. This will be her fifth studio album and her first album in five years.

Press play and let us know if this track is worthy of a comeback.

It’s been two years since we last heard from Nas’ ex-wife, Kelis, and she’s looking to make a comeback. The milkshake diva’s latest music offering, “Call on Me”, was leaked today.

The groovy horn-laced track is produced by TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek. Kelis recently signed to Sitek’s label, Federal Prism, and is slated to drop her two albums later that year.

Press play and tell us what you think.

To say Clutch Magazine’s former Senior Editor Alaina Lewis is on the move is an understatement—her pace is more like a gallop. Since leaving Clutch to focus her efforts on her own PR company, Electric Heart Media, Lewis has carved out a unique niche by combining her talents as a journalist and a media producer.

Not only does Lewis generate press for her clients, the talented CEO also offers a wide range of hard-to-come-by services like video production, website development and photography. As a result, the client roster for EHM is already robust: prestigious events (Cannes Festival, American Black Film Festival, Miss Black Minnesota Pageant), international restaurants (London-based Pizza Fresha), as well as up-and-coming celebrities (teen rap sensation Young Marqus and NBA-hopeful Marcus Hill).

Lewis prides herself on providing her clients with personal attention. She’s even traveled with Young Marqus on his recent 12-city tour while simultaneously shooting footage and arranging exclusive backstage interviews.

Vixen caught up with the writer-slash-director-slash-producer just days before she was about to jet off on a promotional trip to Mexico and Hawaii for Young Marqus and Jacob Latimore. Excited about her successes, Lewis was eager to talk about screenwriting, her moment of inspiration and sneaking in through the back window.
VIBE VIXEN: What is the goal behind Electric Heart?
ALAINA LEWIS: My focus is to create an electric pulse for my clients across the web. I like to give people the platform to be seen worldwide.

A lot of us have dreams but never live them. What pushed you?
I was a postal carrier for five years. I was also pursuing my degree in screenwriting and working with Clutch. I wanted to finish my last class and I couldn’t take the time off, so I quit. This is what I’m supposed to do.

Wow, just like that?
If you do it at home for yourself, it’s a hobby. But if you do it for the world, it’s a business. So, I have to go all in.

How was year one?
2012 was great! I have been on a five-year plan–this is my fourth year. Every single year I can say I have added another layer to what I do and really pushed to manifest my dream. I am absolutely floored to look at where I was then and where I am now.

What about that film degree?
[Laughs] I’m using my film degree! I shoot a lot with my clients. I created all the behind-the-scenes footage for Young Marcus for the web series “Life on the Road w/Young Marqus” and shot some footage for a [yet-to-be revealed] reality show.

What’s next?
My goal and dream in life is to be a screenwriter. With the exception of Ava Duvernay and Shonda Rhimes [Scandal], we don’t have a lot of heroes who have a household name like [Steven] Spielberg and James Cameron.

I want to have a name in the industry as someone who creates diverse works–that aren’t necessarily Black works. I’m laying my tracks out now so that when I actually do board my train, I have a way to get there. I’m not looking to be the next Tyler Perry. I want to be the first Alaina Lewis.

When did you realize you wanted to be a screenwriter?
Well when I was a kid, I was awkward. I was shy, so I’d create characters. I would do it in the sense that I knew I was too awkward to live the life, so I tried to become the characters. Then, I met [Mighty Ducks creator] Steve Brill in downtown Minneapolis. I almost passed out. He told me if I wanted, I could be in the movie. So, I was in MD3 in the scene at the Mall of America. While they were glorifying all the actors, I was watching him make a movie. I saw someone putting a movie together and I had never seen that in my life. It was that day I made the transition from wanting to write novels to being a screenwriter.

How does that tie in to what you’re doing now?
This is my way of showing the world this what I do, but it’s not all that I do. I recently sold a script. And, I’m working on my big feature, called Assassin’s Avenue. It’s a Precious meets Hustle and Flow. It’s about a 14-year-old boy whose mom is addicted to heroin. His only salvation is hip-hop. His goal is not to become a rapper, not make a million dollars, it’s just to get to high school. It’s such a pure goal. Just to be able to be educated and have an opportunity to have an education and promise. And, there are things in his life making that seemingly simple desire seem unattainable.

Words to live by?
My mantra has always been I’d rather have you underestimate me than see me coming. If you are not going to let me in through the front door, I am going to come in through the back window.

New Year’s Resolution?
My New Year’s resolution is to have an amazing year. Believe it and then you will see it.

For more on Alaina Lewis and her company, visit electricheartmedia.com and press play for her 2012 highlight reel below.

Govan admits that she wasn’t a big cooker until she became a mom. Now, she cooks every night à la The Rachel Ray Show and looks forward to doing it big for the holidays (even if her mom does constantly re-season her food!).

“Christmas is huge for me. I always get a 30-foot tree. I love the pine fresh smell. And, I love gifts for the children. I don’t buy things for adults, but anybody 15 and under, it’s all you!”

Press play to find out what’s on her wishlist and resolutions for the New Year.

The single-letter soul singer/model taps into her inner 90′s girl for a funky green-screen ode to BBD’s classic hit. She completes the look with classic memes from era: bambu earrings, gold rope chains and lollilops. I even think I saw her “wop it out”!

She also reminds us that music can be fun, sexy and uplifting, asking us if we “remember when it was cool to be black? Cool to be dark. Cool to have naps?” I sure do.

Peep the video below and let us know what you think.

Her EP, The Visitors, is slated for release in January 2013. Are you ready for a “visitation”?

Vixens, the wait is over!

You’ve been emailing, Facebooking and calling to find out how to get our digital issues in your hands. Well, the time has finally come.

Issue 2.2, featuring veteran songbird Brandy, is now available for download!

You can get your own FREE copy of VIBE Vixen one of two ways.

If you’ve got an iPad, grab this iTunes app and download the current VIBE digital issue with the Vixen insert. Or, if you’ve not yet succumbed to the Apple-mania,  download a PDF version here.

Either way, happy reading! And, remember, we are a digital mag, so we can’t send you a print version…yet.

Rising radio personality and emcee Georgia Ellyse knows how to get the job done. Starting off just a few years ago as a host on a college radio station, the Minneapolis native now hosts her own daily show and has become the go-to personality for all things media and celebrity in the city’s only urban radio station.

Vixen was introduced to the two-time Twin Cities’ Hip-Hop award nominee while prepping to make her first appearance as a judge on 106 & Park Freestyle Friday. Ellyse let us in on how she found her way to BET, her current project and the importance of believing in yourself.

VIBE VIXEN: According to BET, ‘Georgia has it all’! Tell us about that. What exactly do you do?
GEORGIA ELLYSE: I host middays at 89.9FM KMOJ “The Peoples Station” in the Twin Cities. I model for ShopNBC and I am an independent recording artist. I also own my own company and am huge on community. I am the Ambassador to Faith’s Lodge, a non-profit that provides grief counseling for parents who have lost their children.

What made you want to be in radio?
My passion for music. I knew from the first day I hosted a radio show on my college campus back in ‘09 that I wanted to be in the radio industry for a long time. I love music! So, being around it all day is like a dream come true for me.

How did you score the appearance judge on BET’s 106 & Park as a judge?
I just picked up the phone. Honestly.

Seriously? That’s it? Well, what advice do you have for others who are trying to do the same thing?
Believe in yourself. If you want other people to believe in your gift, your talent or your dream, you’ve really got to believe in it first! You’ve got to be ready and willing to make sacrifices. However, what will define your character and your professionalism is what sacrifices you aren’t willing to make! You have to stand for something in this industry or you will fall for anything.

You also have to know that everything you want to do is right within your reach. Especially with the internet these days, you have no excuse. If you want to know something, Google it. If you want to get in touch with someone, Google them. You have the resources, utilize them to accomplish your goals! But don’t ever say you CAN’T do something if you haven’t tried EVERY avenue possible. You can truly do anything you put your mind to.

From where do you draw your inspiration?
From real life — especially as an artist. In songwriting you have to draw on real life experiences. A lot of times I try to find inspiration in the negative things that have happened in my life. I do this because I feel like everything happens for a reason and you should always be able to turn a negative into a positive. ALWAYS. No matter what.

You talk about the “Bad B*** complex.” What is that?
Right now, the women in hip-hop all rep for the Bad B****es, what happened to the MC Lytes and Queen Latifahs? “Who you callin a B****?” I’m just sayin’…There is a way to be fresh, to be hot and to be commercial without degrading yourself or being the encouragement to thousands of young girls to degrade themselves or to lessen their self worth because they think that’s cute.

Every woman has a Queen in them. It’s just up to each woman individually whether or not she is going to embrace that and demand the respect a Queen deserves from every man and woman that crosses her path.

What’s next?
My current goal is to transition from radio to television. I am looking into landing some roles on sitcoms and in movies. I am also applying at commercial hip-hop station in larger markets and have been trying to get my foot in the door with the satellite radio stations. But most importantly, I am working on completing my debut EP High Standards. Its a blend of hip-hop and R&B, and I am excited to share it with the world!

Describe yourself in one word.
Classic.

What else do you want people to know about you?
I need people to know that I’ve earned the respect that people have for me. I am about my business and that only God can stop me.

Last, but not least, what makes you a Vixen?
I am a Vixen because I choose to wear my crown. I choose to embrace the fact that I am a queen and I demand to be treated as such. Every woman, every young girl has a queen inside of her, but not every woman or young girl embraces that. If that is you, if you haven’t embraced your inner queen, what are you waiting for?

Check out the BTS interview from her appearance on 106 & Park