Donna Summer – LaDonna Adrian Gaines: RIP – December 31, 1948 – May 17, 2012

There is a party going on up in Heaven.

Icon after (musical) Icon have been recently moving “beyond.”  Disco Queen Diva Donna Summer transitioned today after a bout with lung cancer.  Summer was instrumental in putting some major sensualism in disco music in ways no one else could. And she made it look easy without raising too many eyebrows (how she did this – who knows!)  She made sex sound so ethereal with her divinely heavenly voice that to this day, try listening to the 12″ version of “Love to Love You,” and I dare you not to become aroused when she is, well, you know what she is doing against that track – if you don’t know, you better go find out.  Immediately.  In fact, it is official that the music of Donna Summer is indeed the soundtrack for The Passions of Lust Noir.  We will more than miss you, Donna Summer.  And thank you for bringing the ‘real’ sexy in dance music.

Join the Passions on this historical musical and pictorial journey of a Disco Icon:  Donna Summer.

RIP

LaDonna Adrian Gaines

December 31, 1948 – May 17, 2012

Robyn Crawford on Whitney Houston

I’m sure many of you, like the Passions, are still filled with restless emotion and a profound sadness over Whitney’s passing.  One person that crossed my mind immediately when I heard the news, was Robyn Crawford. Esquire featured her sentiments in a moving, loving, very tender obit.

Robyn Crawford on Whitney in ESQUIRE.

Finding photos of Robyn Crawford and Whitney together is next to impossible but I managed to dig a few up.

More recent pics of Robyn and a friend.

And The Daily Beast has a rather raw portrayal of Whitney and her relationship with Robin.  I cannot begin to imagine the amount of grief Robyn must be feeling.  The Passions holds her in our prayers.  We ALL should, because losing someone whom you’ve had such a profound and deep connection with is beyond difficult to conceive.

THE DAILY BEAST: Whitney Houston:  Anatomy of  a Lesbian Rumor.

And yet, here’s another interesting look into Whitney’s and Robyn’s relationship.  The Passions is hopeful, just like many of you, that the history/herstory of their life together, no matter how complicated, will not be erased.

Article in The Daily Mail.

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And below are a few more photos of our Angel, Miss Whitney Houston.  Nippy – We hope you find all the peace you deserve and more up in Heaven.

Whitney Houston: RIP 1963 – 2012

Coming here with a very heavy heart right now.

I’m just about speechless tonight, Passion-nistas.  A remarkable woman with a voice of an angel has left the building.

Whitney Houston meant so much to me – because I came “out” around the time of her very first album.

I played this album over and over and over again.  I remember listening to hidden meanings in “You Give Good Love,” and “Saving All My Love for You.”  I played her so much that my boyfriend at the time (yes, boyfriend) would hide the album from me.  I swear for God I bought it THREE times because I couldn’t find it.  He admitted to taking them later.  He must have known.  And, frankly, deep inside my heart I believed when I heard her sing these lyrics:

Never stopping, I was Always searching

For that  perfect Love

the kind

That GIRLS LIKE ME DREAM OF

I KNEW she was talking about me.  I was convinced of this.  Whitney and me had something very special in common – and it wasn’t singing.

Whitney Houston, RIP.

Here’s Whitney doing the Star Spangled Banner like NO ONE ELSE CAN and probably never will – in 91.

Her very last performance.  So so very sad.

FREE POST: Some of the Passion’s Favorite Crushes for Famous, Fierce FRIDAY: Pam, Halle, Eva, Kelly, Paula and Angela

Good Morning my Divine, Delicious Darlings,

Today I wanted to keep the commentary brief and just post some of the finest chocolate we feature at the Passions.  Me thinks most of you have not seen many of these before – so – enjoy.   And Happy Friday.

 

 

RHOA: Cynthia Bailey doing the damn thing in Denim Magazine

Good Morning Fierce Felines,

Some of you may know that I am an ‘occasional’ fan of reality tv – particularly when the participants happen to be women of color.  Yes, I know the level of controversy it breeds, and I have serious mixed feelings about sociological, political and obviously racial ramifications the controversy poses.  But honestly, when the cast features women who aren’t of color – controversy is rampant in those series as well.  Real Housewives of Atlanta is the highest rated of the Housewife series on Bravo (and yet, the Ladies of Atlanta are not the highest paid…..hmmmmm – another case in point?).  Just like Basketball Wives is VH1’s highest rated series – can we suspect that VH1 is doing right by the Ladies of Miami and L.A. by way of salary?  Let’s take a guess.  So obviously the controversy is indeed a challenging “reality.”

So we’re going to highlight the positive.  If you happen to be a fan of RHOA, you are familiar with Cynthia Bailey’s story line.  And after this week, we are all hoping she leaves her matrimonial mess and tell her undercover haters to go to hell and return to New York City where she belongs.  And these photos are further proof that Miss. Cynthia is really Ms. Fierce in disguise and the sooner she realizes this the better that series will be.  (disclaimer-NOT hating on Atlanta.  Just hating on the foolishness that is jealousy and hateration, which is not determined by geography.  Tis all.)

Happy New Year: Here’s to 2012

Welcome to 2012,

We’re going to start you off with some of our favorite crushes of 2011 and show you how some of ’em finished in 11.

Kelis and Kelly setting things off in the new Hunger magazine.

Kelis is just fierce to me.  Always loved her style.

Yeeeeessssss, Kelly.

Aisha Tyler is the package.  Brains, Beauty and she can rock a sequin shorts jumper like nobody’s business.  Here she is on the red carpet for the Dragon Tattoo premier.

Jill Marie Jones at a Toys for Tots event.  The Show Girlfriends wasn’t the same without her.  She’s still fine.

Christina Milian hanging in West Holly.

We never tire of extra tight jeans and frilly leather jackets on some people.  Christina is one of those people.

Halle has been MIA for a minute.

Glad she came out of hiding looking incredible as always.  Skin, hair, the understated but tasteful casual gear.  We heart her big time.

My future wife is repping Nutrisystem.  As always, looking like divine deliciousness :).

There is not a ton of love for Keri on the blogosphere, but we here at the Passions will stay crushing on this pretty girl.

The skin people, the skin!

Sentiments are the same for CiCi.  Here she is busting moves in the kitchen making Xmas dinner.  She can cook for the Passions any darn day.  Cute.

Paula P was kicking the end of 11’s ass with all the promo for MI.  And the Passions can’t get enough.  Here she is posing for GQ.

We love when celebs share on Twitter. Here’s Serena looking like the several millions she’s worth.  Can you say H.O.T.?

Tamia tweeted this pic of herself.  She is coming out with a new CD in February.  You best be on it like I will be.  She is at the top of the list of one of the most underrated entertainers.  And she’s gorge.

Gabby tweeted this pic – she’s chilling with some friends.  She is rolling just how the Passions likes to roll – with a bed FULL of WOMEN!!!  We see you, Gabby ;).

Gotta throw in a couple of NYE party pics.

Here’s Nicki Minaj and Fergie at Dick Clark’s rocking eve.  I’ll just take Nicki’s boots, please.

Rih-Rih was hanging @ Diddy’s Ciroc party in Miami.  Good dress choice….(sigh)……And the shoes don’t suck either.

Kim Porter and Nene.

Celebs celebrating the holidays with their families is always a great thing.  Here’s Angela Bassett and her’s in front of the marquee of her awesome new play “Mountaintop.”  Beautiful black people!

Alicia and her fam at a Knicks game showing both her husband and her son that she can rock sneaks better than they can :).

Tracee Ellis Ross and her siblings in Aspen.  BTW, a small forest was killed to create Tracee’s fit.

Melody Hobson and her billionaire and family spending their holiday in where else?  St. Barts.  Star Wars forever!

And our favorite family, the FIRST Family.

Looking forward to a FABULOUS 2012 Passions People!!!

The Passions 2011 in Review

The WordPress.com stats helper prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

Madison Square Garden can seat 20,000 people for a concert. This blog was viewed about 66,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Madison Square Garden, it would take about 3 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Janet arrives at the courthouse for the Conrad Murray Trial

Good Morning My JJ Passionistas,

As many of us know, the Conrad Murray trial is going on right now.  And if you were wondering, apparently it is quite a circus, unfortunately.  We hope for justice for Michael Jackson and his family during this critical time.  Below are pics of Janet arriving to the trial.

CW Network’s 2011 Upfront at Jazz at Lincoln Center

Good Late Morning Cuties,

Rushing around like crazy in a mad search for some intense inspiration.

In the meantime, here are some pics of the CW’s Network affair at Lincoln Center last week.

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No. Tyra is NOT a Passions crush. But we tend not to discriminate a lot around here. So, here she is.

There IS something about her I find positively alluring. What do YOU think it is? 😉

Taraji.

Rachel. She is growing on us. Her style is always fashionably understated. We like that.

And Kerry. She is always RIGHT in our book.

FREAKY FRIDAY: Nicki Minaj is PACKING – (yes, packing as in DILDO)

Sexy Ones, It’s Friday.

Now rarely will I post a pic without some lengthy commentary attached.  But today, I shall let le photos (taken @ a recent concert in Providence, R.I.) speak for themselves (although she got a deliciously tight grip on it, don’t she?).  Ahhhh……I knew a little girl named NICKI…….