Comedian-actor, Bill Bellamy, is going through extremely trying times. He’s just revealed that his sister’s “unauthorized” actions have put him in an impossible position, regarding the funerals of his father and his father-in-law.
Bill’s father-in-law of 21 years died on May 17, 2022; and weeks later on June 8, 2022, Bill’s own father passed away as well. Since then, his family has understandably been in an extreme state of grief and unfortunately, turmoil, according to Bellamy.
It’s now been reported that while Bill was out of the country, he says his sister, Karen, made what he refers to as “unauthorized” plans to bury their father today, June 24th, which is same weekend that Bill and his longtime wife, Kristen Bellamy, already had planned his father-in-law’s funeral service in a different state.
After learning about his sister’s plan, Bill tried to immediately put a stop to it, by seeking a restraining order in a New Jersey court, reports TMZ. The restraining order would have left Karen with no choice but to reschedule the date she set for their father’s funeral. Unfortunately for Bill, the judge had to deny his request because legally, there isn’t anything the judge can do to interject that type of family dispute.
Feeling clearly emotionally drained, betrayed, and hurt by this heartbreaking situation he and his family are in, Bill confessed the following to TMZ:
“In the span of less than a month I lost both my father William Bellamy Senior and my father-in-law Bernard Baker Junior. These two wonderful men that have impacted my life and my family’s lives in ways that are beyond words…”
“My effort to stop an unauthorized memorial service for my father, which was planned without my knowledge, was not successful. I am devastated my family has to choose to miss one service for another, no one should ever have to be in this position. My father-in-law’s memorial service was confirmed back in May when he passed.
There are no words to express how disappointed I am to not be a part of laying my father to rest but I look forward to celebrating my father’s life and legacy with my wife, his grandchildren and our close friends in our own time.
Please pray for our families and give us the time to grieve and process these painful losses in private.”
This is beyond devastating for all involved. There seems to be some deep-ridden underlying issues between Bill and his sister, issues that day back much father than today. Keeping Bill Bellamy and his family in our hearts and prayers.
Jenifer Lewis
Jennifer Lewis is an actress known for playing strong female roles in film and on television. In real life though, the former ‘black*ish star has gone through a LOT- such as her battle with sex addiction and her struggles with bipolar disorder. She’s also revealed another hardship from her past– one that required Ms. Lewis, as she stated, to give “the greatest performance of my life.”
We’re talking about the time when Jennifer was confronted by an intruder inside her home, and found enough inner strength and rational thought in that terrifying moment to talk her way out of getting raped. In her memoir, Mother of Black Hollywood, Lewis tells all about the attempted rape, as she relives the unfortunate incident like it happened yesterday…
Jennifer Lewis Describes How She Talked Her Way Out Of Being Raped By Intruder
When she was a 20-something-year-old struggling actress, living in a small New York city apartment, a rapist posed as a delivery man barged into her home after she answered the door. He held a knife to her throat and threatened her, as he proceeded to try to rape her. Jennifer had to remain calm and think fast to save herself. And think she did!
She was able to convince her would-be-rapist that she had a viral sexually transmitted disease that would make him very ill if he had sexual contact with her. In addition to that creative lie, Lewis was also able to “act” like she cared about the man’s feelings, to get him to ultimately settle down. Here’s what she revealed:
Via People: “Suddenly a guy came into my apartment with a knife,” the black-ish actress tells PEOPLE of being in her early 20s in New York City. “He tried to rape, but I talked myself out of that. It was the greatest performance of my life.”
Lewis was scared to death during that ‘greatest performance of her life,’ but thankfully she survived it and is now able to share it with the world. People Magazine provided the following excerpts from Jenifer Lewis’ book, Mother of Black Hollywood, where she explains what happened after she was finally able to get the rapist to change his mind:
Jenifer Lewis’ new tell-all memoir, “Mother of Black Hollywood”
“I shouldn’t be doing this!” [the attacker said.] “Especially to a sister. They locked me up for some s— I didn’t do! I just got out.” … Suddenly I saw how skinny, fragile, and vulnerable this kid was. I sat down next to him and put my arm around his shoulder.
“I’m sorry that happened to you. I will help you. Let me give you my number and you can call me.” “I’m sorry. I know you are gonna tell, but I just want you to know I am sorry.”
He was not evil. He was just f—– up. He left and I stood in shock. Then I fell to my knees and fainted.
Watch Jenifer Lewis Discuss Rapist Incident
Incredible! When it comes to Jennifer Lewis and the many struggles we now know she’s overcome in her life, the term, “strong,” is an understatement. Salute to Ms. Lewis for telling her story.
(L) Bill Cosby; (R) Judy Huth
Bill Cosby has more legal trouble on his hands. On Tuesday, June 21, 2022, he was found liable for sexually assaulting Judy Huth, a woman who claims Cosby assaulted her when she was a teenager.
According to Huth, the sexual assault occurred in 1975 at the Playboy Mansion, when she was 16 years old and Cosby was approximately 37.
Now Huth is about to get paid, after a Santa Monica, CA jury awarded her $500,000 in a civil case against Cosby.
Below are the details of the alleged incident:
Via TMZ – Huth was 16 years old when she and a 17-year-old friend met Cosby on a film set in a park. She claimed Cosby invited them to accompany him to the Playboy Mansion a few days later.
Huth testified Cosby was alone with her in a bedroom at the mansion, where he attempted to put his hand down her pants. She says she lied to Cosby about being on her period to get him to stop, but claimed Cosby exposed himself and forced her hand on his erect penis and used it to masturbate until climax.
Throwback photo of Bill Cosby and his accuser, Judy Huth, at Playboy Mansion
Cosby didn’t attend Tuesday’s trial, but the jury was shown a video of his 2015 deposition, in which he’d denied all of Judy Huth’s claims. He also stated that he didn’t even recall meeting her. But Huth’s lawyers then showed a photo of Cosby and Huth smiling together at the Playboy Mansion back in the day.
Cosby’s legal defense team claims that Huth is trying to seize an opportunity to come up financially off of Bill’s back, by creating false accusations against him.
Huth didn’t file claims against Cosby for the alleged 1975 sexual assault incident until 2014. Regarding why Huth waited 39 years to take legal action…she reportedly said it was because she started having anxiety attacks and flashbacks that began in 2014, and lasted up until 2018 — the year Cosby was found guilty of sexual assault in a separate case vs. accuser, Andrea Constandt, resulting in him being sent to prison.
Meanwhile, Bill Cosby has been radio silent ever since the jury awarded Judy Huth $500,000 in their civil case. The last time he’s publicly spoken out o the matter was on June 9, 2022, when he tweeted an article about him denying Huth’s claims.
Jurors shown video of Cosby denying Playboy Mansion assault claim | Reuters https://t.co/6xc295Qh5N
Meanwhile, Bill Cosby has been radio silent ever since the jury awarded Judy Huth $500,000 in their civil case. The last time he’s publicly spoken out on this topic was on June 9, 2022, when he tweeted an article (shown above) about him denying Huth’s claims.
As y’all know, Cosby was released from prison on June 30, 2021, after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction.
Male model, Rudy Houston, and Janet Jackson in “What Have You Done For Me Lately” video
If you were watching “Video Soul” and “Soul Train” back in the late ’80s era, you probably remember the model/dancer you’re about to see. His name is, or rather his name was, Rudy Houston. He was the dude plenty of women, and teenage girls alike, were going crazy over when he played Janet Jackson’s leading man in her “What Have You Done For Me Lately” video.
He was also the brotha who singer, Pebbles, was asking if he wanted to “Ride in My Mercedes Boy” in her 80’s video as well. Although his initial start as a “Solid Gold” dancer was a solid gig for him, after Janet and Pebbles shined the lights on him, it was on, and his popularity shot through the roof. Things are a lot different with him now though.
Well fam,’ that was then…this is now, and Rudy Houston makes Caitlyn Jenner (formerly Bruce Jenner) look throwback. In fact, Bruce was still enjoying life as a newly-married man to Kris Jenner when, in 1995, Rudy Houston was beginning his transition into his new reality. You see, Rudy was formerly a ‘he,’ but now he is a ‘SHE’…completely, if y’all catch my drift.
Janet Jackson’s Former Male Video Model After Transitioning To Female
[L] Throwback photo of Rudy Houston; [R] current photo of Lana Houston, formerly known as RudyHere she is! Rudy’s name is now Lana Houston. That’s right ladies, the former heartthrob that many of you were fantasizing about, is now one of you. We’ve gotta give Lana nothing but respect for doing what her heart told her to do, no matter what the social stigma is, or was, for her following her transition.
Lana Houston, formerly known as male model, Rudy Houston
The interesting thing is that, when Lana Houston was Rudy Houston, there were many men who would have LOVED to trade places with the brotha. Women were damn near throwing themselves at Rudy back in the day and willing to do whatever he requested just to please him, but for Rudy, that just wasn’t his true self. He was living a life inside of a body that didn’t feel like an authentic reflection of who he was on the inside.
The below video is one that Lana created to display more pics of herself now and her transition into a woman is a must see…
Lana Houston Discusses Her Transition
The statement below was quoted by sources, regarding what Lana Houston said about her transition from male to female:
“I am formerly known as Rudy Houston, I am now known as ‘Lana.’ I appreciate all thoughts and concerns and I appreciate your interest in my whereabouts. Yes, it is true that I have transitioned from male to female. I began my transition from male to female in 1995. I needed time away from the entertainment industry to find my inner peace, and to embark on my intense, and wonderful journey to womanhood. I am finally at peace and comfortable in my skin. I am currently residing in LA where I work as an artist painting portraits, and abstracts. Although I took a break from show business, I am contemplating on coming back. I’m currently in the market for songwriters/music producers to collaborate with. Again, thanks to all those concerned about my whereabouts. I’m back from the ‘Dead.’
Sincerely,
LANA (aka) Rudy Houston”
And there ya’ have it people! We just wanted to spread the word about Lana Houston, who is from the old school music era. I wonder if the world would give her as many props as they’ve give Caitlyn Jenner if they actually knew Lana’s story too.
This little cutie pie grew up to become one of the most popular household names in the ’80s and ’90s. She’s played several very memorable characters back in the day that many of us, Old Schoolers, will never forget.
Her character’s voice was one of the most distinctive in the history of African-American sitcoms. And if you guessed the talented Jasmine Guy prior to reading this article, then big ups to you because this wasn’t an easy one.
Jasmine hasn’t changed all that much, she was a beautiful little girl and she’s still a beautiful woman.
Here’s something about Ms. Guy that many may not know- she is TOTALLY different from her character, ‘Whitley’ on Different World. She always speaks her mind, regardless of who doesn’t like it and that’s something that we’ve always respected about her. Not too long ago, she had to put an interviewer in check when he asked her to talk about the Bill Cosby allegations.
She also gave a quick check session to another interviewer who assumed she’d be like her “Whitley” character- which is an assumption she absolutely cannot stand. She talks about the “Whitley” accent below…
By the way, in more recent years, Jasmine’s more recent roles were on BET’s drama series, The Quad, which also starred actress, Anika Rose. The show was about Black college life and Jasmine played the dean.
“Dwayne-Wayne” and “Whitley” also got back together decades later. Well, not literally…but Kadeem Hardison did join forces with Jasmine Guy on TV again. Kadeem starred in the the hit Disney Channel sitcom, KC Undercover, in 2015 and 2016. He played the father of ‘KC’ (played by singer/actress, Zendaya). Jasmine Guy made a guest appearance on the show as an enemy agent who had been in hiding for years.
Jasmine and Kadeem spoke with Oprah about what they didn’t necessarily like about being superstars back in the day…
Although Jasmine Guy isn’t really into the ‘superstar’ hype and is far from her “Whitley” diva character, as Old Schoolers we appreciate the memories she gave us through her years of dedication to her craft. Also looking forward to more in the future.
(L) Mariah Carey; (R) Nick Cannon
Happy Father’s day to all fathers out there. And Happy Juneteenth to everyone who celebrates #BlackExcellence in all it’s glory. Those are also the same sentiments Mariah Carey seems to share on this beautiful day.
The songstress is celebrating her heritage, as well as her late Black father…and her children are doing the same. Only factor that seems to be missing from Mariah’s homage is her ex-hubby and father of their fraternal twins, Nick Cannon…and she’s seemingly not alone on that one…just ask some of Nick’s other baby mamas as well. But we’ll recap the latter point in a sec.’
Anywho, Mariah took to social media to share her thoughts about the Juneteenth and Father’s Day holidays, by sharing a photo of her and Nick’s daughter, Monroe, and son, Moroccan. The photo displayed their precious mini-me’s happily embracing one another, as they seemingly stared at a photo of their grandfather, Alfred Carey. Mariah captioned the photo with the following statement:
“Celebrate Your Black Excellence! #HappyJuneteenth
#HappyFathersDay Rest in Power Alfred Roy Carey🌻❤️”
It didn’t go unnoticed that Mariah conveniently left Nick completely outta the picture. This observation could mean absolutely nothing…or it could also possibly give insight into how Mariah currently feels about Nick and his fatherhood status as of late.
As many of y’all already know, Nick has been having babies left n’ right with several women, sometimes simultaneously throughout the past few years. He is currently the father of seven children total (one of them sadly passed away), with another two babies supposedly on the way. In case y’all are confused about Nick’s baby makin’ timeline (we most definitely understand), here’s a quick breakdown:
Nick Cannon and the mothers of his children [via TMZ]
Via Parade —
—Mariah Carey (whom he was married to from 2008-2016) is the mother of twins Monroe and Moroccan Scott.
—Brittany Bell (his then-girlfriend) is the mother of Golden “Sagon” and Powerful Queen.
—Abby de la Rosa (his then-partner) is the mother of twins born June 14, 2021.
—Alyssa Scott (a model who appeared on Cannon’s music game show Wild ‘n Out) gave birth on June 23, 2021 to Zen, who was Cannon’s fourth child in the last year.
—Bre Tiesi (a model and actress) is currently expecting with Cannon’s eighth child.
There is also a ninth child reportedly on the way by Nick’s prior baby moms, Abby de la Rosa…according to The Guardian.
At this point, it’s unclear how Mariah really feels about her ex-husband poppin’ up with so many kids so quickly (he reportedly had four kids in one year alone). But it’s evident (at least thus far) that she is not down with publicly being thrust into the social media trap of now being referred to as one of Nick’s ‘many baby mamas.’
Bri Teisi’s Father’s Day 2022 tribute to her child’s dad, Nick Cannon [via Instagram]However, it is worth noting that one of the loves of Nick’s life, Bri Teisi, offered inside info about how well she and all of the mothers of Nick’s kids get along great:
“I feel like everybody is focused on their own family and their own situation,” she told The Daily Mail, “and we’re all very supportive and just respect that. Like, ‘That’s your family, this is ours and [if] you need anything, we’re here.’”
As far as any Father’s Day tributes to Nick by his other women, two of them have directly shown him public love on his big day. Bri Teisi, Abby de la Rosa, and Brittany Bell — each of whom Nick seems to currently be romantically involved with — took to social media to shout him out.
Nick has been straight up about his relationships as of late, revealing that he’s an advocate polygamous relationships, which he seems to have mastered very well. All of the mothers appear to maintain great relationships with him.
Moral of this story…as long as one can be a great father to his seeds, and maintain healthy relationships with all involved, then that’s all that matters. Nick seems to be doing a helluva job…amid his pretty busy personal life these days.
Sanaa Lathan
Actress, Sanaa Lathan, loves cheesin’ it up for the cameras alongside the beautiful masterpiece that is her Mom…and trust us, these queens are a sight for sore eyes.
Background On Sanaa’s Parents
The 50-year-old actress’s mother, Eleanor McCoy, is a former dancer who was married to Sanaa’s popular pops, Stan Lathan, from 1970 to 1977. If his name sounds familiar, it’s because you’ve probably seen it in the credits of one of your favorite sitcoms, comedy specials, or realty TV shows.
Sanaa Lathan with her father, TV/film producer and TV director, Stan Lathan
Stan (76) is a renowned director and producer, who’s had involvement with everything from Sanford & Son, to Def Comedy Jams, BET’s Househusbands of Hollywood (starring Kevin Hart, Duane Martin, Boris Kodjoe, Nelly, Nick Cannon, J.B. Smoove), and several other projects. So yeah, Sanaa comes from a very artistically expressive fam.’ Now that we’re caught up on her parents’ history, let’s get back to the beautiful photos of Sanaa and her Moms that has her fans talking…
Meet Sanaa Lathan’s Mother
We already know Sanaa is gorgeous, but in their recent photos, it was Mama Eleanor’s beauty that stole the WHOLE show!
Sanaa Lathan with her mother, Eleanor McCoy
Fans were surprised by how flawless Eleanor still is in her late ’60s (or maybe early ’70s…we’re not sure). To say the ever-so-appropriate term, ‘she git it from her Momma,’ is an understatement, when it comes to the powerful genes that Ms. McCoy clearly passed onto her baby. Check out their pics and a few fun facts about Sanaa and Moms below…
Sanaa Lathan chillin’ with her mother, McCoy
Old School Fun Facts About Sanaa’s Mother
Remember we mentioned that Sanaa’s mother was a dancer? Well here are a couple Old School fun facts about her dancing days:
1. Eleanor was one of the dancers in the Wiz theatrical Broadway play and Sanaa remembers how she always brought her to the shows as a kid:
Via Philasun– Sanaa: “I grew up in the theater. My mother was one of the original Alvin Ailey dancers, and was in ‘The Wiz’ and ‘Timbuktu’ on Broadway – and Eartha Kitt was in ‘Timbuktu.’ So as a very young kid, I was around Eartha Kitt all the time. My mother says I was always imitating her and doing her little growl.”
2. Sanaa’s moms also danced for Stevie Wonder. Peep this cool live performance of a young Stevie, Eleanor McCoy, and her then dance partner, Gary DeLoatch…
Beautiful…just BEAUTIFUL!
Scene from “Cooley High” (L – R): Norman Gibson, Glynn Turman, and Rick Stone
ILOSM fam’ remember the gangsters, ‘Robert’ and ‘Stone’ from the 1975 classic film, Cooley High? They were the classmates who took ‘Cochise’ and ‘Preach’ for a joyride in a stolen car after leaving a house party. Then they were arrested, released, and eventually caught Cochise, beat him, and left him for dead underneath the train tracks.
Now here’s what you didn’t know about the real life of the two cats who played the gangsters.
Friends & Criminals In Real Life
‘Stone’ was played by Rick Stone and ‘Robert’ was played by Norman Gibson. They were actually friends in real life, but the reason they were so convincing in their Cooley High gangster roles was because they were also gangsters in real life. They were stick-up men who robbed folks around town for a living.
How Did 2 Then-Street Dudes Landed “Cooley High” Role
So, how in the hell did two street cats from Chi-town end up in one of the most iconic Black films in history? The director of the Eric Monte written film, was Michael Shultz, who was in town searching for authentic characters to fill the gangster roles at that time. After getting a tip from Chicago police, who knew all about Rick’s and Norman’s criminal ways, Michael sought them out. What happened next is very interesting…
Screengrab: “Cooley High” actors. Bottom shows Norman Gibson as Robert” (L) and Rick Stone as “Stone” (R)
They Initially Planned To Rob “Cooley High” Cast & Crew
Rick Stone (“Stone”) revealed, in an interview with N’Digo Eye On Chi, that he and Norman were walking down the street, when Michael rolled up on them in a limo, asking them to read for the parts. Their instant reaction was to go to the set so they could rob everybody in the building! Long story short, thankfully that didn’t happen because they ended up getting the role.
The Real-Life Tragedies And Murder Are Heart-Wrenching
They Weren’t Really Acting, “Cooley High” Actor Speaks Out
Rick Stone also revealed that he and Norman were not really acting in the film. After the director saw how well they improvised their audition after he’d told them to just be themselves, he then encouraged them to improvise throughout the entire movie, by simply reacting to whatever was happening in the scenes. Shultz wanted their true reactions and not the scripted ones, since they weren’t actors, but instead real life gangsters. And bada bang bada boom, it worked!
However, although their faces were now known to the masses, Norman and Rick were still living their realities in the streets and the tragedies that struck next were heartbreaking…
“Cooley High Actor, Norman Gibson, Suddenly Passed 1 Year After “Cooley High”
Sadly, on September 29, 1976- just one year and three months after Cooley High was released- Norman succumbed to gun wounds at age 25, after an incident in his Chicago neighborhood. He was reportedly robbed by other stick-up men during a dice game.
“Cooley High” Actor, Rick Stone, Served Lengthy Prison Term
After the film, Rick ended up getting busted for armed robbery and ended serving eight years in the pen.’
“Cooley High” Co-star Helped Stone Get His Life On Track
The most beautiful part of Rick’s story is that in recent years, he has redeemed himself. After getting out of prison, he was down on his luck, so an unlikely Cooley High cast-mate came to the rescue- his friend/actress, Jackie Taylor, who played “Johnnie Mae,” (“Cochise’s” girlfriend) in Cooley High. She first gave him a job as a janitor at her Black Ensemble Theater (she owns it):
Via NPR: “Taylor called that day and said ‘Ricky, what you doing?” I said ‘nothing.’ And she said, ‘Come on down to the Black Ensemble Theater. I’ve got something for you.'”
Via ChicagoNow.com
Then Jackie gave Rick a job as an actor in the theater’s plays, which have been very successful in Chicago. He’s now starred in dozens of plays there and is still going strong. He also still lives in his Chi-town neighborhood, which has now a mixed-income neighborhood. He jokingly revealed this to NPR:
“I got white neighbors now,” Stone says. “A white guy and his wife knocked on my door, they had a cake and were like ‘Welcome to the neighborhood!’ I didn’t have the heart to tell them that I’d been over here all my life. I was like ‘Thank you.’ “
A happy ending to a tragic situation. Wishing Rick Stone much continued success. May Norman Gibson continue to rest peacefully.
We all know Andre “Dr. Dre” Young (56) as the N.W.A. legend, who then went on to become co-founder of Death Row Records, who later morphed into the almost billionaire Beats by Dre mogul, that we see before us today. Though the latter business feat was accomplished later in his life, its his gangsta rap-producer persona that he’s most known for. Well, fast forward to now, and his 25-year-old biracial son caught many Dr. Dre fans by surprise.
Why is that? Well for several reasons: (1) At first glance, the young brotha does not look much like his legendary Pops; and (2) His eclectic sense of style is more Blink 182 pop-rock, and less like NWA, Death Row, nor his Pops’ current Forbes List cover-ready business attire.
Despite their differences, Dr. Dre and his son, seem just as as close as any other famous father/son duo- “Lamont and Fred Sanford,” Eddie and Gerald Levert, you name it. So without further ado ILOSM fam,’ scroll down to see why folks were surprised by Dr. Dre’s son…
Meet The Younger ‘Mr. Young’…
Tyler Young, Dr. Dre’s and Nicole Young’s son
Introducing Tyler Young, the 24 year old son of Andre “Dr. Dre” Young. As you can see, they are a tad different at first glance…
Tyler Young
Though their individual styles may be lightyears apart, there is one thing Tyler has in common with his Pops- their love of music. The younger Young is a music producer. His specialty seems to be house music mixed with a tinge of hip hop.
Dr. Dre with son, Tyler Young (via Instagram)
By the way, Tyler also looks a lot like his Moms– Dr. Dre’s newly ex-wife of 25 years, Nicole Young (56). As far as we know, Nicole is of White and/or Hispanic descent, and her maiden name is Nicole Plotzker.
Judge Denied Dr. Dre’s Wife’s Emergency Restraining Order
Speaking of the former Mr. and Mrs., exes, amid their recent divorce battle, Nicole filed for an emergency restraining order against Dr. Dre. for — get this — him calling her a “greedy bi*ch” and also a “bitch and a perjurer” in a song Dr. Dre released in February 2020. In court docs, Nicole claimed she felt Dre’s summarization of her was somehow a ‘threat,’ stating that “he has upped the ante and is now outright threatening me to keep my mouth shut or else.” The judge disagreed with Nicole’s claim of a perceived ‘threat’ and ruled there was “insufficient evidence” to back said claim.
Nevertheless, Dr. Dre and Nicole couldn’t be more proud of their eldest child, Tyler, just as they are of their youngest, daughter Truly Young, who was accepted into UCLA a couple years ago.
Dr. Dre reportedly has a total of eight children from various relationships.
Throwback photos of Keith Washington
In case you’ve been wondering what R&B crooner, Keith Washington, has been doing since we last heard from him in the mid-’90s, today is your day, because we’ve found him. And these days, he’s puttin’ a lot of youngins to shame with his forever young swag. Keith is making his 61 years look more like 41.
But first, we have to reminisce about the days when Keith had us all slow dancing to his ’90s smashes, “Make time For Love” “Are You Still In Love With Me,” and “Kissing you.” Those were the days weren’t they?!! Keith had the ladies going wild and the fellas were reaping the benefits of it, by making some of Keith’s slow jams their mood music whenever they had their lady over to visit.
Above is a recent photo of Keith now, along with singer, Joe. As y’all can see, the brotha is representin’ us, Old Schoolers, well. He’s recently shared how he keeps himself healthy in the following Instagram message to his fans…
Keith is part of ’90s era crooners who had to know how to SANG (not sing) in order to gain notoriety in the music game…and he’s still been able to successfully ride that wave to this day. His career hasn’t come without it’s fair share of drama though.
Keith with friend, Aretha Franklin
Many of you may remember some years ago, that Keith was involved in a bit of controversy surrounding information folks were accusing him of leaking, on his prior Detroit radio show, regarding the health of his good friend, the late Aretha Franklin. Keith adamantly denied that he intentionally leaked that info, and that it was an honest mistake.
His married life had a few hiccups along the way, but nothing he and his exes didn’t eventually move past.
His ex-wife of 14 years, Marsha Jenkins-Sanders (not pictured), stirred her own dosage of controversy when she released what many refer to as a “fictional” tell-all book, The Other Side of Through, about her and Keith’s relationship and his alleged infidelities. I’m not sure that I actually understand what a “fictional” tell-all is though.
Keith later married his second wife, Stephanie Grimes Washington (pictured below), a former executive at a radio station in Detroit. They jumped the broom in 2009, but eventually divorced a few years later. Though they seem to be on cool terms, with Keith even confessing “I’m so proud of her” in a 2020 interview, following their divorce.
Keith with his then-wife, Stephanie
Other than that, Keith seems to be a pretty elusive type of cat, but here’s what we do know about him…
He hates the state of today’s music industry and the fact that love songs have become pretty much extinct…and I don’t blame him. What happened to ballads y’all?!! Here’s what he said…
Keith often performs his music at various venues, giving his fans that classic Keith Washington sound.
And he’s also starred in various stage plays throughout the years. Some of his past co-stars are heavyweights in the game as well, including actor, Clifton Powell, actresses, Lynn Whitfield and Debbi Morgan; and R&B singer, Angela Winbush.
Keith Washington (as Marvin Gaye) and Lynn Whitfield and Clifton Powell playing Marvin’s parents in “My Brother Marvin” stage play
Keith reminds us of a time when fans actually expected to get quality music from artists who competed with each other by NOT sounding like the next artist, but by sounding as different from one another as they possibly could…much unlike today, where many mainstream artists are carbon copies of each other.
And we can’t forget to mention the artists who are over-using using auto-tune resulting in them sounding more like Alvin and the Chipmunks cartoon characters, just saying 🤷🏾♂️. But fortunately, we still have artists like Keith Washington, reminding us that once upon a time in the early ’90s and before, singers had to actually pull from everything within them to push those notes out with no technological crutches to assist them help…just raw talent. Gotta love the Old School memories.
This little cutie pie grew up to become one of the most popular household names in the ’80s and ’90s. She’s played several very memorable characters back in the day that many of us, Old Schoolers, will never forget.
