11 Professional Baes That Shattered Who Internet In 2016

2016 was the year of the working woman!

Back in September BOSSIP introduced the world to thicky fine teacher bae Patrice “Tricey” Brown who had the internet ON FIRE after her swoon-worthy pics went viral.

The post sparked endless debates and even rumors that we got #TeacherBae fired from her Atlanta school (FALSE).

To commemorate the year of professional baes we’ll spotlight the 11 best working women that had the internet going nuts in 2016. Check out the ladies powered by Ford next…

The Strongest BOSSIP Editorials Of 2016

BOSSIP has been on the cutting edge of celebrity news, gossip and crazy moments. Yet what people sometimes overlook is the fact that we delve into deeper issues with our Editorials and our We See You pillar where we discuss biases and issues of race in the media.

We aren’t afraid to tackle the issues and we hit them without pulling punches. So let’s look back at 2016 and the strongest editorials we’ve had.

The Super Petty Pic Tearing Twitter Apart

We almost escaped Christmas 2016 without a shady Black Twitter scandal until Lance Gross came thru with a painfully petty “inside joke” gone terribly wrong that, naturally, sparked widespread chaos (and endless debates) across social media.

Hit the flip for a peek into the Twitter hysteria over THAT Christmas photo.

Actress Carrie Fisher Of ‘Star Wars’ Fame Passes Away At Age 60

Just when we thought it was gonna be all good…

On Chirstmas Eve we reported that Star Wars icon Carrie “Princess Leia” Fisher suffered a massive heart attack aboard a flight from London to Los Angeles.

Although it was reported that she was in stable condition after being hospitalized, it appears that the incident took more out of her than was first realized.

According to PEOPLE, Carrie Fisher is no longer with us.

Family spokesman Simon Halls released a statement on behalf of Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd:

“It is with a very deep sadness that Billie Lourd confirms that her beloved mother Carrie Fisher passed away at 8:55 this morning,” reads the statement.

“She was loved by the world and she will be missed profoundly . Our entire family thanks you for your thoughts and prayers.”

2016 has been absolutely insane. We can only pray about 2017.

R.I.P. to Carrie Fisher. May the force be with her.

Image via Splash

LaTavia Roberson Says She’s Open To Destiny’s Child Reunion

Will there FINALLY be a Destiny’s Child reunion in 2017?

Singer LaTavia Roberson was once singing alongside LeToya Luckett, Beyonce and Kelly Rowland in Destiny’s Child. Unfortunately, the group disbanded amidst tales of bird-beef and jealousy adding to the breakup rumors. LaTavia now tells The Grape Juice that she is open to the idea of a possible reunion years after the group parted ways…

A reunion? I’d love to. The feuding which came after the split was hard, but I became a fan of the new line-up after a while and have developed a sisterhood with Michelle Williams. I guess the hard part about a reunion would be logistics. Most of us our mothers now and are raising families so that has to be taken into consideration. I think the right things will happen at the right time. That’s what writing [my] book has taught me…when it’s meant to be it will be.

LaTavia later added that she’s matured in the music business:

What’s so cool now is that I feel inspired to use the things that I’ve learned in music and in business to develop new artists. I’m not opposed to a solo recording career for myself but I feel more inspired to help other people now. My taste in music is so eclectic and I want what I end up doing to reflect that. I love Dance music and soulful music as well as a lot of alternative stuff and so I’m really considering using all the things I love about those genres to introduce new artists to the world to make more of that kind of music. Writing the book has reminded me that I have so much to offer and I’d like to help others.

Read the entire interview HERE.

Scandalized Teacher And Son Found Dead In Apartment

This is so sad. 36-year-old Felicia Barahona, a former teacher at Dewitt Clinton High School, was found dead in the living room of her West Harlem apartment with an electrical cord tied around her neck Monday, according to NY Post reports.

Her four-year-old son Miguel was found dead in the bathtub, where he’d drowned. Both were discovered around 8:30 am after the building super called 911, revealing he’d climbed onto the fire escape outside their third-floor apartment on West 153rd Street and spotted Barahona’s body on the floor from the window. The super had gone to investigate after smelling a foul odor.

Police haven’t revealed whether they’re seeking a suspect or if the deaths are believed to be the result of a murder-suicide however, a police source says Barahona’s body is believed to have gone undiscovered in the apartment for three or four days.

Barahona previously made the news in 2013 after school officials revealed she was axed from teaching high school science classes after entering a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student. The teacher/student relationship started out as a friendship when the teen was 15, but became sexual after his 17th birthday. A report by the Special Commissioner of Investigation revealed Barahona and her teen paramour were sleeping together unprotected five times a week, as the teacher had told her student “not to worry” about contraceptives. The pair ultimately went their separate ways before their son Miguel was born.

Some other strange details about this case include reports that Barahona described Miguel as a girl in Facebook photos from 2013 and even dressed her son in pink. Apparently, that practice had continued as a neighbor said she still would see him dressed in girl’s clothing.

“It is odd to see the little boy sometimes dressed up like a girl. Also the little boy runs up and down the hall and I never see her saying ‘Be quiet’ or ‘Come back here’ or anything,” Barahona’s neighbor from across the hall, Javier Yudelka said.

“He’s just allowed to run around and do what he wants.”

Another friend told the Post Barahona also had an 8-year-old daughter who didn’t live with her, but that she “really loved her children.” The friend asked not to be named, but said Barahona was taking classes and teaching at John Jay College before she died, revealing the two took a final exam together at John Jay Thursday, Dec. 22nd for a forensic science class.

“She even messaged me later in the day, about the exam,” the friend said.

“We were all worried about the exam. She was just such a great person and extremely nice. I just don’t understand how this happened.”

The holidays are such a tough time for many people. Our prayers go out to Barahona and Miguel’s friends and family.

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Eddie Murphy Posts Up With Eight Of His Kids For Holiday Photo

We see you Eddie! So far Eddie Murphy has been doing a pretty great job of blending his family so that girlfriend Paige Butcher and new daughter Izzy Oona spend plenty of time with his older children. We gotta say he did a great job with the holiday family portrait this year — shared by his oldest daughter Bria.

Sister Shayne offered another point of view. Little Izzy Oona is sooo cute right?

We wish Eddie had a better relationship with Angel, his daughter with Mel B, but know that things don’t always work out. Hopefully once she matures she’ll get to know her siblings better.

Keep clicking from more of the Murphy’s Merry Christmas.

Instagram

The Most Lavish Christmas Gifts Of 2016

Rich and flexy celebs showed up and showed out for Christmas 2016 with next-level extravagance that shattered the internet and inspired broke dreamers to get on their grind in 2017.

Hit the flip for the most extravagant Christmas gifts of 2016.

We know that Kardashian has kept a pretty low profile since she was reportedly tied up and robbed in her hotel room in Paris during Fashion Week back in October. As for West, he was hospitalized last month after a series of on-stage rants and cancelling the rest of his Saint Pablo Tour dates. The next time we saw him, he was dragged for meeting up with Donald Trump. After all of that, there were rumors that Kardashian was growing weary of West’s behavior and their marriage was on the rocks. However, the pair presented a united front to celebrate Christmas.

[madamenoire]

BET And Gabrielle Union Settle Lawsuit Over Being Mary Jane

In October, Union filed a lawsuit against BET accusing the network of breach of contract. Union’s lawyers said their client agreed to star in Being Mary Jane only after she’d been assured no more than 13 episodes would ever be produced for one season of the show. However, the network was reportedly attempting to cut costs and shoot 20 episodes back-to-back and squeeze them into one season which not only violated that agreement but would’ve also eliminated the pay increase Union is supposed to get with every new season.

As a result, Union sought general damages of at least $3 million and a declaration that BET cannot seek more than 13 episodes for any season of Being Mary Jane. BET promised they were “committed to reaching a swift and positive resolution” regarding the lawsuit and it looks like they’ve done just that.

[madamenoire]

Ice Cube Announces ‘BIG3’ Basketball League For Retired NBA Players

This actually sounds dope. Ice Cube has announced the launch of a new 3-on-3 basketball league where retired NBAers will get to show they still got game.
The league will be called BIG3 and will feature recently-retired NBA players who still want to play the game at a competitive level. Peep, we said recently retired. So this won’t be like the Legends game that used to happen during NBA All-Star Weekend back in the day. There will be no Karl Malone or Patrick Ewing sightings on the court. Instead, this league will have guys like Stephen Jackson, Kenyon Martin, Jermaine O’Neal and Jason Williams who all have signed on to play according to league officials.
This isn’t just going to be pick-up basketball either. Cube is partnering with former NBA Players Association Deputy executive director Roger Mason, Jr. who is leaving his post to help build the league along with investors.

[hiphopwired]

• Carrie Fisher Dead at 60 [tmz]
• Chance the Rapper Admits Turning Down Deals From Kanye West Was ‘Not Easy’ [the urban daily]
• Furs Worth Millions Stolen From Posh NYC Shop [iheartradio]
• Trump Aide Resigns After Being Put On Blast By His Baby Mama [balleralert]
• Taylor Swift Surprises 96-Year-Old Fan With At-Home Visit And Performance [huffingtonpost]

Kanye Shares West Holiday Photo

Even though the rumor mill is swirling that the Wests are a wrap…Kanye is countering that notion with his latest pic.

Kanye tweeted out the West family’s 2016 Holiday snap…complete with Kimmy cakes in the same gold lame party dress she was spotted in later on that night at the family holiday party.

Despite the fact that blondie ‘Ye was noticeably absent from the annual Kardashian Christmas Eve bash, he did pose for a quick Christmas card-worthy snap with wifey Kim and the kiddies before Kim headed out of the door.

Cute pic. If they’re able to keep it together…hopefully this family will have a much easier 2017 after all the loops they were thrown for this year.

Instagram/Splash

Tristan Thompson Not Named On New Baby’s Birth Certificate

Was Tristan Thompson too busy swirling it up with Khloe Kardashian to do his Daddy duties for his seconds-old son?

As we told you Tristan’s ex Jordan popped out their newborn son on Dec. 12th in L.A. However, Tristan was apparently busy at the time, and didn’t show up to the birth — despite clearly being in town around that time, hugged up on the ‘gram with KhloMoney.

According to TMZ, Tristan’s name is nowhere to be found on his newborn son’s birth certificate as a result.

In California, the father has to be physically present at the hospital to officially be named as the father on the initial birth certificate. Even though the Daddy space for Jordan’s baby is currently blank, it can be added in later…and her son Prince’s last name is listed as Thompson already.

We’re not sure what Jordan plans to do, but everyone knows who that baby’s Daddy is. And according to all sources involved…Khloe is super supportive of her new man being an involved father to his old boo’s baby…

Instagram

Tiny Files For Divorce From TI

It looks like the “Family Hustle” has come to a close.

Apparently, Tiny is fed up and has decided to call it quits on her 6-year union to Tip. According to TMZ, Tiny went down to the Henry County Courthouse to officially sever ties from Tip earlier this month.

Yikes…we bet that made for an interesting Christmas.

There’s no defined reason being pointed out…but we all know things have been shaky (to say the least) between TI and Tiny for the better part of 2016…baby rumors, social media shade and all.

And of course, that whole Floyd situation didn’t do much to help matters…

The duo got married back in 2010 and have 2 sons, Major and King, and 1 daughter, Heiress together…among TI’s two older sons and daughter and Tiny’s daughter Zonnique.

SMH…are you at all shocked by this one? The fam appeared to be all good over Christmas…

Hit the flip for more…

ATLpics/Splash/WENN/Instagram

Rihanna Unfollows J.Lo After Drake Hookup

Well, if there was any room to wonder if Rihanna was feeling a way about Drake’s hookups with Jenny from the Block…she just gave us some shady confirmation.

RihRih and J.Lo were known to be industry gal-pals…but the fact that Jennifer has been making Drake’s Hotline Bling on the low for the last few weeks definitely has Rihanna feeling salty.

As we previously reported, sources close to the Bajan Badgal told The Sun that Rih felt all sorts of betrayed with THOSE pics and rumors started to pop up:

“People in Rihanna’s circle are saying she is very unhappy about the whole thing.

“Only a few months ago she and Drake were still together.

“Jen is one of her friends in the industry which made her all the more surprised.”

Today, fans noticed that Rihanna clicked the unfollow button on J.Lo’s socials — a partial “kiss of death” for an industry friendship. And these two seemed to have gotten along fairly well too. Rihanna gifted Jenny some Manolo Blahnik shoes from her collab collection with the designer…and J.Lo wore them in one of her music videos:

We would HOPE she wouldn’t be so bold as to step out in these with Drake! SMH.

Damn…and things were all well and good a few months back when Rih & Drizzy were getting stuffed sharks tattooed on them and isht…

Instagram/Splash/WENN/Vevo/AKM-GSI

Queen Latifah’s Vehicle Carjacked In Atlanta

A popular Atlanta-area crime has just claimed Queen Latifah as a victim. ATL area thieves frequently jump into a vehicle’s driver’s seat while the driver is pumping gas, and quickly take off, taking not only the car but all contents inside. On some occasions, drivers’ pets and even children have been inadvertently taken in the process of the vehicle theft.

According to Fox 5 Atlanta, Queen Latifah’s vehicle was taken in a similar incident, though she herself was not on the scene at the time:

Fulton County Police said another driver was driving Queen Latifah’s vehicle alone when someone stole her car. The ordeal happened on the evening of December 20, at the Shell gas station on Fulton Industrial Boulevard.

Police said, in their report, the driver of the 2015 Mercedes Benz S63 was pumping gas when a white BMW pulled up beside him, then he heard the vehicle ignition start and saw Ms. Latifah’s vehicle speed off.

Police then made contact with the owner of the vehicle, identified by Queen Latifah’s real name, Dana Owens.

Police said Atlanta officers tracked down the vehicle to an apartment complex on McDaniels Street in Southwest Atlanta; security said they spotted three males near the vehicle, as well as a white BMW and another Dodge Charger (a similar vehicle was reported stolen in College Park).

Police said in their report, Ms. Owens inspected the recovered vehicle, and found lemonade and fruit punch bottles left behind by the thieves.

Fulton County Police are still searching for the thieves responsible.

Seriously? Sounds like these thieves had to be children or just plain dumb…they just used the car to roll around the neighborhood and dumped them in some random spot? At least she was able to get her car back in one piece…

FOX 5/WENN

DrizzLo Shatters The Internet

Waffle-colored mac daddy Drizzy is back at it again with the bed-hopping shenanigans that now involve superstar cougaress J. Lo who basically confirmed those pesky dating rumors with a Draked up InstaFLEX currently melting the internet.

Hit the flip for the funniest (and pettiest) reactions to DrizzLo’s InstaCoupledom.

Muhammad Ali’s Grandson Goes Viral With New Pics

Muhammad Ali‘s grandson Biaggio Ali Walsh is heating up the internet!

The young athlete who is the son of Ali’s daughter, Rasheda Ali, recently had the ‘net in a tizzy when a photo of him with his grandfather’s prolific quote tattooed was splattered across Twitter:

Biaggio was close to his grandfather and has posted many photos of the iconic boxer:

Check out Ali with his family below:

Biaggio will be playing college football at Cal Berkely and hopes to continue his thriving modeling career on the side. Hit the flip for more of Muhammad Ali’s grandson next…

IG/Twitter

Video Footage Of Ray McDonald Chasing His Baby Mama Around The House

Back in 2014 we reported that then-San Francisco 49er Ray McDonald was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence against then-fiancée.

Today, TMZ has obtained footage of a 2015 confrontation with the mother of his child that will give you goosebumps. There are several tense minutes when the woman is crying and beggining with Ray to leave her alone while a second man pleads with him to leave the house.

Then it gets super ugly…

The woman’s lawyer describes this video as: “It’s one of the most horrific videos I’ve seen and heard in my 46 years of practicing law.”

WTF is wrong with these “men”? SMH.

Image via AP

Official Fired After Calling Michelle Obama An Ape In Heels

We previously reported a West Virginia nonprofit director was returning to work after calling First Lady Michelle Obama an ‘ape in heels’ in a disgusting Facebook post reports Rawstory.

Pamela Taylor, the ain’t isht worker who insulted the FLOTUS and was suspended from her post at the Clay County Development Corp.

According to Reuters, the official has FINALLY been given the boot for the racist comments about Michelle Obama:

The director of a West Virginia nonprofit agency who called first lady Michelle Obama “an ape in heels” in a Facebook post has been fired and the institution put under outside management, state officials said on Tuesday.

Pamela Taylor, director of the Clay County Development Corp (CCDC), which provides services to poor and elderly residents, drew international condemnation after her comment last month about Obama went viral.

She resigned in November but was reinstated last month, prompting West Virginia to review its contracts with the nonprofit.

ABOUT DAMN TIME!!!!

Dear Bossip,

My baby daddy recently moved from the United States to be with me and the kids in Toronto, Canada.

I recently started stripping again because he couldn’t to support us financially. But, now he’s just here living off me. He is babysitting the kids and saying he wants to marry me. I don’t feel that I want to marry him. I’m not trying to buy myself a ring. He wants me to get him a Visa so that he can start working, but he never wanted to work hard enough for me in the States so that me and the kids could come over there. I work like 5 times a week. I hardly see the kids, and I’m exhausted. I don’t think I can continue doing this, but at the same time he is good with the kids. I just feel like I can do better. He says it’s just temporary until he can work construction. But, I don’t know if it’s right for a man to live off a woman, and I have to pay his bills, and, deal with his bad credit instead of paying to go school for myself. What do you think? – It Don’t Seem Worth It

Dear Ms. It Don’t Seem Worth It,

Uhm, how is he babysitting his own kids? If he is the children’s father, then he is not babysitting, he is taking care of his children as he is supposed to be doing. The hell!

And, why is talking about marriage when he can’t support you financially? He doesn’t have his life together, so how can he talk about creating and building a life with you when he is out of order? He can’t even take care of himself, so he definitely won’t be able to take care of you and his children. And, if you don’t feel it is right for a man to live off a woman, especially while you pay the bills, then why are you letting him live off you? Ma’am, you are answering your own questions in your letter. You already know what to do. You don’t need validation from me to tell him to kick rocks, and go back home and get himself together. Until he can provide and take care of himself, then he doesn’t need to be talking about marriage, or shacking up with any woman.

But, I’m curious to know why are you letting him shack up with you? I understand he is the children’s father, and you want them to have their father around. Yes, I get that he is good with the kids. However, he is not contributing financially to the household. The kids see him and see a man who is not working. They see a man who sits at home while you go to work and bring home the money, and provide for everything. So, what type of role model is he for your children?

Also, he is not contributing to you and your growth. He is another mouth in your household that you have to feed. He is using the electricity, and staying for free. He has nothing to show for himself. What is sad is that you had to go back to stripping to support your family, and he is okay with this! HELLO! He is okay with you selling your body (the visual aspects of it), and men pawing all over you. Instead of telling you that you don’t have to do that, and he doesn’t want his woman stripping for other men, he is sitting in your home chilling, and has made no effort to get a job, hell, it can be any type of job, so long as it keeps you off the pole, and out of the gentlemen’s clubs. Sweetie, he is a sorry excuse of a man. You don’t need him. You are well off without him.

He moved to Toronto from the States because I’m sure he was just as lazy here. You made a very valid point when you said that he never wanted to work hard while he was in the States, so why all of a sudden he wants you to get him a Visa to find work, and to be with you? Girl, I’m sure he had no other place to go, and no one wanted to deal with him. His family and friends were probably sick and tired of him begging, and using them, and are probably happy he is out of their hair, and that you’ve inherited the problem. He’s useless. He only wants to marry you so that he can get his Visa. I’m sure he hasn’t talked about marriage before, but since he finds himself in a bind he needs a way out, a ticket, a resource, and you have become his salvation and hope.

You are taking care of a grown man child. Why? What are you getting out of it? How is he or this situation benefitting you? If you feel depleted, tired, worn out, depressed, sad, upset, angry, and not appreciated or worthy, well, it’s because he can’t pour into you because he himself is depleted, tired, depressed, sad, angry, and worthless. How can you expect someone who has nothing – emotionally, mentally, or physically, to give you something that they don’t have? He is emotionally unequipped to be in a relationship with you at this time. He is dependent on you, financially and emotionally. It is obvious that he is mentally unable to cope with this situation because he allows you, his woman, to strip in a club to support him and your children. Honestly, that will mess with a lot of men’s head if they knew that their woman was stripping, or had to strip to earn money. But, maybe it doesn’t bother him. Maybe he’s okay with it, and has checked out mentally, so he doesn’t have to deal with it, or think about what you’re doing and who’s doing what to you at work.

Look, you already know what to do. Send him packing, and ship him back to his momma’s house, or wherever he was staying before he came to live with you. Why would you take on another problem, another mouth to feed, and another grown ass adult who can and has the capability to work? He is not ready for a serious relationship with you. He wants a hand out, someone to baby him, and support him. He wants someone to fix him, and build him. But, what about you? Again, he can’t give you something that he himself doesn’t have. End this relationship, put him on child support, and make arrangements for him to babysit his kids. LOL! You don’t deserve to be overworking, stressing yourself out, and creating more problems than you had, or need. He is a liability. He has bad credit, no job, no money, no place to live, spiritually empty, and is emotionally inept. Please ask yourself is this the type of man you need in your life right now, at this moment, and at this time. If not, then he needs to go. – Terrance Dean

Hey Bossip Fam, what do you think? Share your opinions and thoughts below! Also, e-mail all your questions Terrance Dean:  loveandrelationships@bossip.com  Follow Terrance Dean on Twitter:  @terrancedean and “LIKE” Terrance Dean on Facebook, click HERE!

Make sure to order my books Mogul: A Novel (Atria Books – June 2011; $15); Hiding In Hip Hop (Atria   Books – June 2008); and Straight From Your Gay Best Friend – The Straight Up Truth About Relationships, Love, And Having A Fabulous Life (Agate/Bolden Books – November 2010; $15). They are available in bookstores everywhere, and on Amazon, click HERE!

Kanye West And Kim Kardashian West Not Divorcing, But Definitely Strained

The last half of 2016 has definitely put a damper on Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West’s matrimony-dom, but friends of the couple are disputing the divorce rumors as “ridiculous” according to Page Six.

The tabloid reports that, despite much being made over Kanye arriving to Kris Jenner’s Christmas Eve party very late, and Kim not wearing her ring, a friend in attendance says Kardashian-West was in good spirits throughout the party AND later joined by her husband.

Other insiders say Kim wasn’t wearing her ring because she’s completely stopped flossing expensive jewels outside of her own home after being robbed in Paris. Can you really blame her?

A source close to Kim Kardashian told Page Six, “They are still a couple, there’s no discussion of a separation of a divorce. But they have absolutely had a tough year. They’ve been through a lot.”

KimYe spent Christmas with North, 3, and Saint, 1, at Kourtney’s house along with the rest of the Jenner-Dashian Klan.

That may have been a bit awkward for Kanye since Page Six sources also claim he’s “losing patience with the extended Kardashian clan’s never-ending whirlwind of drama, and has begun to separate himself from the reality-stardom-chasing side of the family.”

Um… How does one separate oneself from the reality-stardom-chasing side of the family without divorcing from said family? JUST SAYING!!!!