By Tiffany E. Browne

Social media was abuzz one particular evening in February.  Brandy Norwood had hit the stage at LA Live’s Club Nokia. Instagram photos of the five-foot-seven beauty went viral. Concert goers took to Twitter with excitement as she performed their favorite hits. The hits kept coming with classics such as the “Sittin’ Up in My Room,” penned by Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, receiving one of the biggest reactions.

“I loved doing that show, says Norwood. “That was one of my most connected shows. You know, when I’m performing I get to be free as much as possible and I was able to do that,” beams a thirty-four year old Norwood. “There was a lot of interaction. That’s key; the better the audience, the better the performance. ”

One can say that a lot of the exuberant vibes felt that evening was the releasing of bottled up energy from Brandy fans. They have been missing the soulful and raspy alto voice that can translate their heartache into a triumphant melody. True, she can been seen in character breaking down someone’s distain for Black women while slowly learning to and falling in love with them on BET’s The Game, but it had been five years since her fans got their dose of Brandy, the singer.

Her sixth studio album, Two Eleven, released late last year and debuted on the Billboard charts at number three.  Fans went ga-ga over the album’s first released single, “Put It Down.” With its heavy drop of bass chords and bold lyrics that feature Chris Brown, Billboard placed the single in the top five of the R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart.

“Chris Brown was just so hype. He has been a fan a long time and he gave a song to the project he wanted me to sing. The lyrics, plus his rapping—for me that stamped it,” says Norwood.

Along with Brown, other songwriting heavyweights that collaborated on the project included Sean Garrett and rising star Frank Ocean. Though Norwood had already laid the album’s foundation, when her co-writing team came on the scene the chemistry was instant. Norwood exclaims that Garrett completely “got me” and the he encouraged her to open up and not fear trying new things, a new sound. Working with Ocean was “a walk in the park. We immediately got each other,” recalls Norwood.

Keeping a relationship running smoothly is hard enough without paparazzi, fans and gossip columns hounding you every second. So we thought we would give a nod to those celebrity couples who mix work and play and keep it looking good no matter how hard it becomes.

Here is Monarch’s list of Black love at its best!

Monica and Shannon Brown: Keep their love on lock. After secretly wedding and growing closer during the NBA lockout, this couple knows what it means to have the real thing.

Keyshia Cole and Boobie Gibson: Slam dunk. Heartbroken songstress no more, Keyshia finally found her love.

Nelly and Ashanti: Not so secret lovers. This on again off again couple may not talk much about their relationship, but after ten years—we all know.

Will and Jada Smith: Love will find a way: acquisitions, true or false, this couple is committed to succeed—and that seems to be the secret to their success!

Meagan Good and Devon Franklin: Good things come to those who keep the faith! Sought after actress Megan Good finds the love of her life, with studio executive and author Devon Franklin.

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama: The King and Queen. Behind every great man stands a strong woman. The type of love and support Michelle gives makes a man feel like he can do anything, including be President of the United States (twice).

Beyoncé and Jay Z: There were the Rothschilds, now there are the Carters! Balance is the key to building the Carter empire. Keeping family first, while juggling concerts, photo shoots, red carpet events, book signings, videos, and sitting court side at the Nets game, is difficult to do—but this couple manages to do it and put their “Love on Top!”

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian: More than hype. Despite everyone waiting to see if this is a publicity stunt, these two have seem to have met their match. They look amazingly handsome together.

Duane and Tisha Martin: The couple next door. Love is not about finding the perfect person, but finding the person that’s perfect for you. This couple makes it work because they have the freedom to be exactly who they are.

T.I. and Tiny: Down for whatever. The phrase ride or die has never been more fitting for any other couple than these two. It is obvious why these two are still together. Loyalty is everything! The modern day Urban Cosby’s have shown the world that their love will stand the test of time.

Grant and Tamia Hill: Sweethearts of the NBA. This is one couple that you won’t see in the news or on Basketball Wives. The drama free couple has an incredible story of success and triumph over adversity. They have congealed their lasting relationship with a mission statement through the “Hill Brand” established to uphold the values that couples find most important personally and professionally.

Tia Mowry and Cory Hardrict: A romance that is as adorable as it looks.

Holly Robinson Peete and Rodney Peete: The couple who comes out swinging! They work hard and play even harder.

Pat and Gina Neely: This couple proves that good food is not only the way to the man’s heart, but the woman’s as well.

Boris and Nicole: Love never looked so good. These two played a couple on-screen and it looked so good that they turned their on-screen chemistry to real life matrimony.

Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz: Making beautiful music together. These two industry heavyweights show us how good they sound and look together!

Paula Patton and Robin Thicke: Double threat! Soul Singer Robin Thicke and Actress Paula Patton change the minds of all that doubt their skills or their love!

Chris Brown and Rihanna: Break up to make up—volatile, sexy, crazy kind of love!

Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey: Sometimes the class clown gets the girl. Songstress Mariah Carey and funny man Nick are still going strong.

Dwayne Wade and Gabriele Union: These two go hard in for each other.

Courtney Vance and Angela Bassett: Just gets better with time. Who ever said they could not make it was so wrong. These two have been going strong for so long, like fine wine!

Ashford and Simpson: Ol’ Skool love. Solid as a rock!

Honorable Mention:

Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown: Eternal Love.

Wish List:

Jamie Fox and Kerri Washington: Dream Couple! Django!

Erykah and André: Let’s do it again.

A Mighty Wind: Named after the Andean god of wind (of course), the Huayra is an artful offering.

A Pagani is more than just a car. It is a rolling work of art, painstakingly created and beautifully rendered.

Horacio Pagani’s customers don’t seem to mind the brand’s obscurity. If you can peel off an easy million for a new Huayra, which starts at $849,000, this car may be for you.

It weighs less than 3,000 pounds and has 720 horsepower. Oh, and it also has more than 737 lb-ft of torque, courtesy of a new 60-degree, 6.0-liter twin-turbo V-12 developed expressly for the car by the engine wizards at AMG, replacing the 7.3-liter naturally aspirated AMG V-12 in the Zonda. The mid-mounted engine drives the rear wheels through a seven-speed, single clutch automated manual transmission built by Xtrac, the British company that makes trannys for F1 cars and Le Mans prototypes.

Tiffany Enchant /Cushion-Cut Yellow Diamond Ring

Tiffany Yellow Diamond

A square, step-cut yellow diamond ring set in 18k yellow gold and platinum cushion-cut yellow diamond with a diamond set in 18k yellow gold and platinum. Carat weight .99; round brilliant white diamonds; carat total weight .44.

Price: $17,100

Fitness trainer Dolvett Quince wants you to commit to the total you.
By Tiffany E. Browne

It is no secret that we are in a society where patience is a lost virtue. We are eager for instant gratification and we are constantly wired or wireless. For better or worse, we somehow manage to tie our health into the madness of our lives. We say we want a change or once we make the change we want to maintain the healthy goal we have reached. Taking the initial steps towards your health goal and maintaining it both require work, but how committed are we?

“We live in a quick fix society,” says Biggest Loser health and fitness trainer Dolvett Quince. “People don’t dedicate themselves to the lifestyle. People don’t fall in love with working out. You have to fall in love with this lifestyle and make it fun by turning it into a social event. Take a friend or two when you workout.”

Going into his third season with the Biggest Loser, Quince knows all about how to have fun in the gym. He is the master mind behind Pure Energy, a class offered at his Atlanta gym that includes an intense workout regimen, with a DJ spinning high energy hits that are sure to give you an eargasm while building your motivation and toning your muscles. His clientele is a roster of notables that includes the well muscle toned actress Angela Bassett and former Baltimore Raven and current NFL free agent Daniel Wilcox.  From his every day clients to the well-known public figures, Quince says they generally want his help with common areas.

“It really depends on the gender. The men want to increase strength. That means working out their abs, chest and going for bigger arms. Women generally want to concentrate on their stomach, hips and butt,” says Quince.

In order to make sure his clients receive maximum results, Quince often implements a combination training session that works two to three body parts at the same time.

“A lunge twist is a perfect example of a combination workout. You start with your arms out, step into a lung and twist from your core. It’s working your gluts, the butt, legs and your core at the same time,” says Quince.

Another example of combination workouts are a round of burpees. While doing a variation of a burpee, you place your hands down on the floor, with your feet behind you; think a push up position. You jump up while swinging your arms upward and continue to do these in a set. Quince suggests burpees as they give you a full body workout.

For those keeping up with the Biggest Loser, it is hard to put fun and working out in the same sentence, let alone fall in love with it. Each season, each week, participants are put through a vigorous training session that that test their stamina, psyche and may leave viewers shell shocked at the degree the participants are pushed to and question if it is all worth it. The show may tip on the lines a bit when it comes to the monotonous shoving in our face the “quick fix” lifestyle.  However, it is evident that each participant does work hard at reaching a goal.

“The show is definitely intense and extreme. On the show, I’m training people three hours at a time,” says Quince.

For the average person looking for similar results Quince suggests modification to the time. Instead of attempting to do three hours of an extreme workout, Quince says to pace yourself with a thirty minute to an hour session.

Quince, who also created the Me and My Chair workout video, offers simple exercises you can do while traveling, in the office or anywhere you find yourself alone with spare time and a chair. It is a no excuse simplistic workout using your chair as your tool or prop.

“Using an armchair to steady yourself you can do squats and dips. You can also use a chair to do pushups with your hands on the ground and feet in the chair,” says Quince.

Losing weight is a challenging process that requires a lot of patience and will power. Quince understands this as he is not just a fitness trainer, but he also likes to advise his clients with a few dietary tips.

“I like to share something I do that’s called the 3-1, 2-1 diet. I eat clean—going for the sweet potato verses regular potatoes or wheat bread over regular white bread—for three days and on the fourth day I eat whatever. Then the next two days I eat clean again and the next day it’s whatever. The trick is I don’t go beyond my caloric count. Not even on my ‘whatever’ days.”

Quince also wants you to be mindful of your portions and because sometimes we find ourselves so deep in the trenches in our office work, he also suggests using an alarm to remind you to take a break and eat.

“I try to work with you on your total being. I can’t stress how important it is to have clarity in your mind as it will help you function better. I’m there coaching or encouraging you to listen to your body. My voice is pushing you to help you build your confidence. I want you to reach your goal.”

Be sure to watch Dolvett Quince on the Biggest Loser on NBC and for more information about his programs and classes visit www.bodysculptorinc.com.

A soprano isn’t merely a type of voice or a hit HBO show; it’s also the name of the latest creation of master watchmaker Christophe Claret and his team of top craftsmen. The combination of highly creative minds and the ability to transform dreams into reality gives watch lovers something amazing to behold.

The movement inside this beauty is a hand-wound mechanical movement referred to as TRD98; 450 parts, 39 jewels, 72 hours of power reserve, with a balance oscillating at 21,600 vph.

All in all, this is a masterpiece with a couple of truly magnificent innovations packed into an elegant red or white golden case. For this creation to adorn your wrist, you need a pretty healthy bank.

Price: Approximately $500,000

It is hard to even begin to describe how incredibly talented Denzel Washington is as an actor. Hailed as one of America’s favorite movie stars, not even mega-stars like Tom Cruise and Will Smith can claim his repertoire and consistency at the box office. Washington has mastered roles like a hero pilot who successfully lands a catastrophically damaged plane despite the fact he’s flying high himself on a cocktail of alcohol and drugs in the film Flight.

He played the incomparable role as Malcolm X. He left us in awe in Glory and The Great Debaters. He made our hearts race with excitement in Unstoppable. He made us all shed tears in John Q. He even made us despise and fear him in Training Day. These are only a drop in his bucket of film feats. Even with his A-list status, Golden Globes, Tony and Academy Awards, Washington understands full well that there are more important things in life than his fame and film roles. With that, his charitable actions shine just a bright as his career undertakings making him one truly great character.

True to his background, Washington once retreated to his local Boys and Girls Club when he was growing up as a confused and angry teen. He has since taken on the long-time role as a national spokesperson for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. We have all seen Washington’s Public Service Announcements for the organization, but not only has he been featured in several awareness campaigns, he has served as a board member since the early 90s. As well, he has helped launch the organization’s recent, new mission of improving graduation rates for children across America.

True to his art, Washington has donated $2 million to his alma mater, Fordham, for an endowed chair of the theatre department, as well as $250,000 for a theatre-specific scholarship to Fordham.

True to his work, Washington donated $1 million to Willey College to re-establish its debate team after he filmed The Great Debaters, a true story about a 1930s debate team, from the historically African American college. Washington, who has captured us in his roles as a soldier in critically acclaimed films like Cry Freedom and A Soldier’s Story, allows his art to imitate life as he participated in a Purple Heart ceremony at the Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC), presenting medals to three Army soldiers recovering in the hospital from wounds they received while stationed in Iraq. He has also been known to visit the Fisher House facilities, temporary housing for military families while their loved ones are receiving medical care, and made a substantial donation to the Fisher House Foundation. In addition, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia named Washington as one of only three people (Oliver Stone and Michael Moore being the other two) with whom they were willing to negotiate for the release of three defense contractors that the group had held captive from 2003 to 2008.

Washington’s other charity work includes donating $1 million to the Children’s Fund of South Africa. Washington is an Honorary Chairperson for Save Africa’s Children, an African American founded organization, providing direct support to children affected by HIV/AIDS, poverty and war throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. Washington also established the Pauletta and Denzel Washington Family Gifted Scholars Program in Neuroscience, a program that awards students who are pursuing careers in that field. Furthermore, Washington is a lifetime founder and member of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund which develops partnerships and initiates programs to empower and improve the well-being of children and youth.

True to his character, Denzel Washington has substantiated himself as an honorable character on screen and a noble human off the screen.

According to report derived by W.K. Kellogg Foundation, African Americans give away twenty-five percent of their income per year. This destroys the myth that African Americans do not give back to their communities. With this recent discovery we decided to place a spotlight on those who have been an agent for change in their immediate communities and the world around them.

Keep in mind; you don’t need to be a multi-millionaire to give back. It is not only money to donate but time as well. Donate time to a homeless center or a grassroots community organization. But if you do want to give money to an organization, do your research first.

1

Eddie C. Brown
Founder, Brown Capital Management

As the founder of Baltimore-based Brown Capital Management, Brown heads up one of the country’s oldest African American-owned investment-management firms. In 1994 Brown and his wife established the Eddie C. and C. Sylvia Brown Family Foundation at the Baltimore Community Foundation. In 2002, the couple donated $5 million to the Baltimore Public School system, starting the Turning the Corner Achievement Program, an initiative preparing African American middle school students in Baltimore for high school and beyond.

2

Bill & Camille Cosby
Actor, Philanthropist

Bill and Camille Cosby have a long history of philanthropy and a strong commitment to education. In 1988, the Cosby’s donated $20 million to Spelman College, the largest gift ever given to a Black institution. The couple also donated $1.3 million to Fisk University. In 1997, they established the Hello Friend/Ennis William Cosby Foundation to fulfill their late son’s dream of helping those with learning difficulties.

3

Alphonse “Buddy” Fletcher, Jr.
Chairman/CEO, Fletcher Asset Management

Alphonse “Buddy” Fletcher, Jr. is the chairman and chief executive officer of Fletcher Asset Management in downtown Manhattan. On the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling in 2004, Fletcher and his partners launched a $50 million initiative supporting people working toward the ruling’s goal of creating opportunities for all.

4

Deloris Jordan
Founder, James R. Jordan Foundation International

With her work with the Boys and Girls Clubs, Deloris Jordan, mother of basketball great Michael Jordan, wanted to make sure all children had a fair chance at educational success. So she established the James R. Jordan Foundation, named after her deceased husband, encouraging parents to be active participants in their kids’ education. Most recently, Jordan established the James R. Jordan Foundation International and founded the Kenya Women’s and Children’s Wellness Centre as its inaugural project.

5

Kevin Liles
Founder, Make It Happen Foundation

Former leader of Island Def Jam Music Group and Warner Music Group, Liles leveraged his music industry prowess to enter into philanthropy. He founded the Make It Happen Foundation, which provides life-changing opportunities for under-serviced youth, and the Kevin Liles for a Better Baltimore Foundation, exposing Baltimore youth to social, educational, economic, cultural and civic opportunities. In 2002, Liles donated $150,000 to help complete the construction of the Woodlawn, Maryland High School athletic stadium, the high school he graduated from in 1986.

6

Alicia Keys
Musician

Keys co-founded Keep a Child Alive with AIDS activist and film-television producer Leigh Blake in 2003. The organization is committed to providing life-saving AIDS medicine and care to children and families in India and Africa. Additionally, the organization lends support to AIDS orphans. The organization raises money annually through the Black Ball, and in 2010, Keys’ Digital Death campaign raised over $1 million for Keep a Child Alive through Twitter and Facebook donations, according to MTV.com.

7

Richard Parsons
Board Member, Rockefeller Foundation

As the former chairman of Citigroup and Time Warner, Parsons donated $1.4 million to establish the Parsons’ Scholarship Fund at Howard University. Today, he sits on the board of the Rockefeller Foundation, which was founded in 1913 to help find solutions to the world’s biggest problems.

8

Gail Snowden
CEO, Freedom House

Snowden is currently the CEO of Boston-based Freedom House. Founded by her parents, Otto and Muriel Snowden in 1949, the organization funds programs across the country involved in civil rights, education and public policy. With its community partners, the organization funds several community, educational and technology-based programs preparing inner-city students for success in high school and beyond.

9

Oprah Winfrey
Media Mogul

Famed television mogul, Winfrey has donated more than $300 million by some estimates, collectively through the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, Oprah’s Angel Network and the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation. Forty million dollars alone went toward the creation of Winfrey’s leadership academy for girls in South Africa. One hundred percent of proceeds from Winfrey’s Angel network funds charitable projects and grants globally.

DISC, an acronym for dominance, influencing, steadiness, and compliance, uses a series of questions each with four answers. Respondents indicate which style is most and least like their own. Susie Lantz says she usually sees four core leadership styles emerge from these assessments. Individuals often tend to be a combination of styles, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

“To get the best results on a team, it’s important to have a balance of different styles and also to get to a place of appreciating the other styles, as well,” she says. “Look for your own style in these four types.”

Conductor. These leaders are direct, with a constant sense of urgency and focus on results. Conductors want to win, and often make quick decisions to get a competitive edge. The hard-charging style of these leaders drives change, values new ideas, and isn’t afraid of confrontation. As a result, conductors tend to get things done.

Be careful of: Conductors may be characterized as difficult or egotistical. Impatience and the desire to move forward quickly can lead to impulsive decisions or mistakes. Lantz cautions conductors to take a breath and not expect others to always work at the same pace.

How to Make Criticism Drive You

Influencer. If you have an optimistic, motivational, people-oriented communicator on your team, chances are you’ve found an Influencer. These leaders are typically enthusiastic and in tune with other people around them. They like helping and motivating other people and have a natural ability to do so.

Be careful of: Influencers may be too verbose and have trouble staying focused. They can also be disorganized and easily led by others. According to Lantz, influencers need to be careful not to let their relationships and fears get in the way of making good decisions.

Supporter. Steady and unflappable, supporters tend to be the glue that holds their team together. It’s difficult to make them lose their tempers and they tend to be very loyal to those around them. They are patient, reliable and create a sense of calm and stability.

Jim Collins on Creative Discipline, Paranoia and Other Marks of a Great Leader

Be careful of: That same temperament that makes supporters such a stabilizing influence can also keep them mired in indecision and complacency. Because they dislike confrontation, they may avoid situations where it’s inevitable. Risk-aversion and procrastination can also trip up supporters in their leadership roles.

Analyzer. Smart and analytical with a penchant for following the rules, analyzers are those detail-oriented leaders who ask thoughtful questions and leave no stone unturned to ensure quality and accuracy. Their pace is typically slower than other types of leaders, but the job is going to get done right the first time.

Be careful of: Analyzers can suffer from “analysis paralysis,” letting their perfectionism hinder effective decision-making. They may fear mistakes or criticism of their work, so they want to make sure they have all of the information before moving forward. They can be perceived as micro-managing or nit-picky, and need to be conscious of when they are over-thinking a situation and, instead, need to take action.

Cookie Johnson shares her passion and fight for others behind the AIDS/HIV cause.
By Tiffany E. Browne

Twenty-two years ago Earleatha “Cookie” Johnson began the ultimate crash course; fighting and surviving AIDS/HIV 101. At its beginning, it is a course that took a deer-caught-in-headlights Cookie and transformed her into a fighter for others; especially for women and children living with or who are at risk for contracting the virus.  The lessons began when her husband, famed NBA player Earvin “Magic” Johnson told her privately that he had contracted Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). A few days later, on November 7, 1991, the public caught a glimpse of her as she sat dressed in white next to her husband. Her face was expressionless, but a fearless and optimistic Magic took to the podium and made the same announcement to the world.

“I was still in shock,” says Johnson. “I was scared to death that he was going to die, because at that time that’s what you heard or knew; that people were dying from this.”

At the time of the announcement Johnson was two months pregnant with their first child. Naturally she worried about the fate of their unborn son and herself.  She was tested and the results were negative.  Immediately, the Johnsons spent time with pediatric AIDS/HIV Awareness advocate Elizabeth Glaser, whose own story fueled their inspiration. Glaser had contracted HIV during a blood transfusion that had taken place when she gave birth to her daughter. She had unknowingly passed the virus onto her daughter through her breast milk and when she became pregnant with her second child her unborn son had contracted the virus while in utero.

“We met Elizabeth Glaser in the first week. She instilled the best advice. First, educate yourself as much as possible about the virus. Then educate those around you. Then fight,” says Johnson.

Sadly, Glaser and her daughter lost their battle, but not before leaving room for Johnson and others to keep going with a mission and a message that will hopefully lead towards an AIDS-free generation.

“I loved the time we spent with her. You walked into her house feeling down, but by the time you came out you were ready to go punch something,” laughs Johnson.

Still, the recent Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation honoree, would not lace up her boxing gloves until much later. Though she has always been in the trenches with her husband, serving as a board member of the Magic Johnson Foundation, it was not until an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show, that  Johnson walked out of the shadows.

“We were on the show for World AIDS Day to discuss the ‘I Stand with Magic’ campaign. There was a twenty-something year old woman in the audience living with HIV. She was asked about the time she found out about her diagnoses. She said when her doctor told her the news her reply was ‘what is that?’ My husband and I looked at each other and I asked her where was she when my husband made his announcement. She responded ‘I was six years old.’ That’s when it hit me. We have a whole new generation that needs to be educated about this,” says Johnson.