Mark your callenders for the return of the Fox hit drama “Empire” for Wednesday, September 23.

Ms. Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) herself shared the news Friday morning via Twitter.

The expansion of Season 2 from 12 to 18 episodes should be a great fix for fans on top of the new musical guests and producers like Timberland joining the show. New guest additions that have signed up include comedian Chris Rock and singers Alicia Keys and Lenny Kravitz.

Some of our favorite full-of-life background characters, Gabourey Sidibe (“Becky”) and actress Ta’Rhonda Jones (“Porsha”), have been promoted to series regulars. YES! 

Let's see what records the hot hip-hop drama breaks this season.

WRITTEN BY: VIOLA CONSTANCE | @Voila_its_Viola

Keke Palmer is all about work honey! The "Scream Queens" star has been casted as Marty Maraschino in Fox’s upcoming musical event Grease: Live. The role, originally played in the 1978 movie by Dinah Manoff, is the first to be cast since Julianne Hough and Vanessa Hudgens were announced as Sandy and Rizzo earlier this year.

Palmer, who will next be seen in Ryan Murphy’s Scream Queens, has plenty of musical experience. She previously played the part of Chilli in CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story, starred in Broadway’s Cinderella and the film Joyful Noise. 

Grease: Live — written by Robert Cary and Jonathan Tolins and produced by Fox and Paramount Television — will air live Jan. 31, 2016 at 7 p.m. ET.

Kevin McCall digs in his hidden files and surprises his fans with a new mixtape In My Zone III: The Lost Files. The mixtape has 15-tracks and features previously unheard, unreleased tracks including collaborations with CBE family members Sevyn Streeter and Chris Brown.

The R&B singers slow it down on the seductive groove “WaterBed,” which they can be heard serenading ladies with some provocative lines (see below).

On the track "Addicted," which features Streeter, the two talk about fighting an addiction of love and the feels of it. Streeter is also on another love based track "Never Say Never."

All I've got to say is this mixtape is just in time for the summer! Get ready!!

WRITTEN BY: VIOLA CONSTANCE | @Voila_its_Viola

Remember when the Vine video Sausage went crazy and everybody had to remake it? Well, I guess Lil Mama JUST got the memo and took it a bit too far. Lil Mama's new video 'Sausage' was released by none of than World Star Hip-Hop. Yes you read right. Lil Mama has a full out, dance choreo video for 'Sausage'. A positive: I mean if you actually listen to some of what she is saying you'll hear she is promoting safe sex. If you look at the style and some of the fashion it does sort of have an old school type of vibe (not the lyrics though y'all). You can't really be mad at that. Do what you gotta do girl!

It's still jokes though. If you weren't on Twitter during the wee hours when WSHH let this go, you definitely have some entertainment waiting for you today. Read more to see how some Twitter users reacted.

Longtime actor and comedian Reynaldo Rey died Thursday from complications from a stroke he suffered last year. 

Rey, born Harry Reynolds, was best known for his roles in Friday, White Men Can't Jump, Harlem Nights and House Party 3, as well as his time on TV shows like BET’s Comic View, The Bernie Mac Show and 227.

The actor most recently wrote, directed, financed and starred in the play “Hollywood P.O.”

According to TMZ, Rey had a stroke last year and began having complications in January. His wife, Evelyn, was by his side at the time of his death. He was 75.

Kira Hayze, born Brittney Durgan, hails from North Carolina, is another artist that I discovered thanks to Black&SexyTV. Just as our last feature in Artist You SHOULD Be Listening To Morish Danee`, Hayze’s music is often featured on episodes of webseries produced by Black&SexyTV. So who exactly is Kira Hayze?

I had a chance to speak with her and pick her brain to learn more about the beautiful person behind the music. She, unlike other artists I’ve researched, doesn’t have many videos of her performing (if any, I’m still looking) and that made her all the more intriguing to me.

The 22-year-old’s love for music started early on. At the young age of seven she began writing music, by age 10 she began rapping, age eleven she was recording in a childhood friend’s studio, and singing by age 12.

Read more to check out the Q&A and see why Kira Hayze is an artist to watch.

Kids are definitely taking over press conferences and Riley Curry has now stolen two! Stephen Curry's young daughter Riley stole the show again during the aftermath of the Western Conference Finals. 

After the Warriors won Wednesday's Game 5 grabbing the franchise's first NBA Finals appearance in 40 years, Riley returned to escort her dad to the podium. She was just as adorable as the first time she stole the press.

Like the last time, she can be heard telling Steph "be quiet daddy!" This go 'round she showed us her playful side in a brief game of hide-and-seek and she blessed us with her beautiful little voice when she sang part of Big Sean's "Blessings."

Clearly Riley isn't afraid to be in the spotlight, even Steph mentioned how comfortable she is.

Check out the full video here.

WRITTEN BY: VIOLA CONSTANCE | @Voila_its_Viola

Danielle Brooks who is famously known for her role as Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson on the hit series “Orange is the New Black” has landed another amazing role: Sophia in broadway’s, “The Color Purple.”

The play is based on Alice Walker’s book of the same title. The play was also made into a movie with Oprah Winfrey in the role of Sophia.

The play begins on November 9th at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.

WRITTEN BY: VIOLA CONSTANCE | @Voila_its_Viola

During my college years I found myself moving further and further away from the mainstream. I couldn’t stand watching TV so I became an avid watcher of online web series and vlogs. It pained me to listen to the radio, so I listened to playlists made up of oldies and all the greats of 90’s music that was until I came across Black&SexyTV.

Black&SexyTV not only produces some of the greatest content in web series (and hopefully very soon on television), but the tracks to each episode are beyond dope and are always from artists of substance like Morisha Danee`.

Morisha is an artist, arranger and songwriter from Country Club Hills, IL who is striving to live her dreams. This talented young lady gives off a soulful vibe with her soft, sexy melodic ballads that will always put you in a mood.

Her song Baby Baby is used as the intro song to Black&Sexy’s Becoming Nia, but her song Favorite Fantasy is what drew many others in, myself included. So who is Morisha Danee` and why should you check her out?


Click read more for Q&A with Morisha Danee`.

As summer approaches Essence is heating up its covers starting with the Vacation Issue that features none other than the Lyon Brothers of "Empire." Every since the debut of the show, we just can't get enough of these guys! Trai Byers, Jussie Smollett and Bryshere Gray have been everywhere from talk shows, news shows, radio and magazines. YASSS give us out dosage!

For those random few who have no idea who these brothers are, let me briefly school you. Empire is a drama/soap opera that centers around a music and entertainment company ran by a family, The Lyons. Of course like any other family the Lyons has their share of drama. Trai plays eldest son Andre who his educated, suffers from a disorder (watch it, I'm trying not to give too much away), and wants to head the company. Jussie plays the middle child and black sheep of the family Jamal. He's the very talented singer/songwriter of the family who has close ties with his brother Hakeem and has his own style of music. Did I forget to mention he's gay? Then last but not least there's Bryshere aka Hakeem. He's the baby boy of the family, fame-crazed and playboy status if you will, but he is the next big hip-hop star on the rise.

Now that you're all caught up just take in all of the hotness! I've already gotten my issues featuring the Lyon's, how about you?


*This isn't a paid promotion of any sort by Essence or any of its affiliates. I happen to be a for real fan.