Madge’s Children Are All Grown Up!

Do you remember when Madonna adopted a child from Malawi? Remember the backlash Madge got for supposedly not going about the adoption in a legal manner? Oh, and remember the part where everyone thought she only adopted a child from Africa to up her publicity. Feels like yesterday doesn’t it? Well, it wasn’t! 

Madonna was photographed at the airport with her very grown adopted son, David Banda. Banda is no longer the little baby whose face was plastered all over the media. David will be turning six years old this upcoming September. In 2006 when Madonna initially adopted the child, she described him as being sick with Malaria and Pneumonia. Well, it’s now 5 years later and he’s looking like a happy and healthy, Malaria free, little boy. Nice work Madge!

Alicia Keys is coming to Toronto! ! !

Alicia Keys is one celebrity that I miss seeing a lot of. Rumour has it that ever since she openly stated that "Gangsta Rap" was invented to have black people murk each other her career too a nose dive. OR was it because she got married and more focused on her hubby Swiss Beatz? Either way I'm looking forward to seeing her on stage again at the "Hope Rising" concert in Toronto on May 5th. She is set to perform with Kanaan, Ngozi Paul, D'bi Young and a few other friends. This concert was put together in support of the fight against HIV in Africa. I like that Alicia is always bringing awareness and actions to social issues and I know she hasn't reached her peak yet! Goooo Alicia!

GemBlue

Alicia Keys and Swizz Beats adopt!

In a recent interview with VladTV.com, seasoned Hip-Hop producer Swizz Beatz revealed that he and wife Alicia Keys adopted Soweto, a village inside the city of Johannesburg, South Africa that houses an estimated 65% of the city’s residents.

“We went there...just to film the process of a particular lady and her daughter. She's a beautiful lady with a beautiful spirit. She's HIV positive. We were filming the before-and-after effect of taking [certain] medications,” he explained.

Swizz also admitted that initially he traveled there in support of Keys’ far-reaching humanitarian efforts. But after speaking with the locals he realized the problems in the village were more severe than he anticipated, prompting the couple to take action.

“I'm just sitting there, kicking it, talking to the locals. Mind you, they have no water, they have no heat, they have no electricity, [and] they have tin houses. So I'm speaking to this one guy...and he was like, ‘This is beautiful what [you're doing], but we have no water, we have no this, we have no that. We have no tools. How can we help better ourselves?’” said Beatz.

Since the encounter, the couple set up a meeting with the local government, which granted them approval to purchase containers, ultimately allowing residents access to heat and hot water. They have also started an education program for the men in Soweto in hopes that it will help them get jobs and build their village. Of the Soweto people, Beatz added, “Instead of being mad, disgruntled, ignorant [about their economic disadvantages], their vibe was like, super-Zen.”

- By Kiki Louya