Lori Harvey Shares Why She Proudly Claims Michael B. Jordan Over Past Beaus
To say that Lori Harvey's love life has been in the driver's seat of her career is a massive understatement. She's been linked to many, claiming few, and taking a page out of Beyonce's book in the process, by simply not addressing any of the chatter at all. In fact, up until now, the usually private mogul's only job was to be the beautifully radiant famous daughter of Steve Harvey, and keep us all guessing without an ounce of clarity on who is who, and what's next for any of them. But now, sis is stepping out and speaking up on all of the above.
Well, sort of.
With a new skincare line on the horizon, and aspirations to take over the beauty and fashion industry in very Rihanna-esque fashion, Harvey finds herself addressing some of the chaos surrounding her life. Lori took on a recent and rare interview, and linking up with Bustle to clear the air on the number of rumors surrounding her love life once and for all. She opens up about the men involved, that infamous Future lyric, and why through it all, finding balance is the most important aspect of her relationship with her equally-yoked bae, Michael B. Jordan.
Continue reading for some of our favorite highlights!
On ending her engagement with soccer player, Memphis Depay:
In 2017, after a year and half of dating and bringing him along on her family's vacations, Harvey got engaged to the soccer player Memphis Depay. Dad, Steve Harvey announced the engagement on Twitter: "This young man is a good one! Congrats!"
A year later, Harvey was single and spotted multiple times without her ring.
"I grew up a lot and I learned a lot from that relationship. And so, I think just as I've gotten older and developed as a woman, I've taken that knowledge with me: learning what I like, what I don't like, and just applying that to where I'm at now."
On meeting current boyfriend, Michael B. Jordan years before entering into a relationship:
Of how she met Michael, Lori says:
"We met actually a few years ago. We had some mutual friends. I think we met out, just in passing."
When asked if there was a connection at that time, she cheekily laughs and says she thought he was cute. The starlet then went on to describe how the two public figures are working hard to keep their relationship sacred by being private but not too private:
"I think we're both very private people naturally. So we just decide, if we take a picture or whatever it is, do you want to post this? Do we not? We have a conversation about it, like, 'You want to post this or we keep this to ourselves?' We know there are people that love and support us and want to see us. So [we want to] give just enough, but keep the majority of it just for us. We're trying to find a balance."
On why she publicly addresses her relationship with MBJ versus others she's been linked to:
In the past, Harvey has been linked to Trey Songz, Lewis Hamilton, P. Diddy, and Future, who may have been the only one who had gotten a little bit of shine on her social media. But her relationship with MBJ is without question and who she publicly addresses as her boyfriend, something the others never experienced.
"I think just as I've gotten older and interests change, I think this was something that I just decided to be a little bit more public with because it's a more serious relationship. So I'm just handling it differently."
Oop.
"I look for someone who is trustworthy and reliable, somebody that could be a good foundation and just stability for me. Somebody that has to be able to get along with my family. I'm so close to my family, so my family is the deciding factor in if you're going to stick around or not. If they don't love you, our time together will probably be short. I knew they were going to love him, which they did. [The introduction] was good. It was easy."
On addressing Future's infamous shot at her:
Earlier this month, rapper 42 Dugg leaked a track in which Future showed off his hurt to the world and decided to take his 37-year-old hurt, and send direct shots at Harvey by saying, "Tell Steve Harvey I don't want her." The lyric was in reference to Steve mentioning in an interview that he hated most of the men she brought home and that some of them stayed around longer than he would have liked (among other things).
Lori responded (without responding) to the lyrics, saying:
"I think they get from me that I try to just not let any type of negativity or rumors or anything like that make me stoop down to that level and go back and forth with it or whatever. Just maintain my position of I know who I am, I know what's going on. I just try to stay up here and take the high road in every situation. So I think that would probably be what they get from me, because I am private, so I like to just give enough."
We're cringing at the thought of our exes too, sis, but we live for an unbothered queen!
Harvey also touches on growing up in a blended family, her very first passion, and why she has her eyes set on Rihanna.
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Featured image via Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Roc Nation
Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
The Reality Of Living With Severe Asthma – As Told by 2 Women On Their Disease Journey
This post is in partnership with Amgen.
The seemingly simple task of taking a breath is something most of us don’t think twice about. But for people who live with severe asthma, breathing does not always come easily. Asthma, a chronic respiratory condition that inflames and narrows the airways in the lungs, affects millions of people worldwide – 5-10% of which live with severe asthma. Severe asthma is a chronic and lifelong condition that is unpredictable and can be difficult to manage. Though often invisible to the rest of the world, severe asthma is a not-so-silent companion for those who live with it, often interrupting schedules and impacting day-to-day life.
Among the many individuals who battle severe asthma, Black women face a unique set of challenges. It's not uncommon for us to go years without a proper diagnosis, and finding the right treatment often requires some trial and error. Thankfully, all hope is not lost for those who may be fighting to get their severe asthma under control. We spoke with Juanita Brown Ingram, Esq. and Jania Watson, two inspiring Black women who have been living with severe asthma and have found strength, resilience, and a sense of purpose in their journeys.
Juanita Brown Ingram, Esq.
Juanita Ingram has a resume that would make anyone’s jaw drop. On top of being recently crowned Mrs. Universe, she’s also an accomplished attorney, filmmaker, and philanthropist. From the outside, it seems there’s nothing this talented woman won’t try, and likely succeed at. In her everyday life, however, Juanita exercises a lot more caution. From a young age, Juanita has struggled with severe asthma. Her symptoms were always exacerbated by common illnesses like a cold or flu. “I've heard these stories of my breathing struggles, but I remember distinctly when I was younger not being able to breathe every time I got a virus,” says Ingram. “I remember missing a lot of school and crying a lot because asthma is painful. I [was taken] to see my doctor often if I got sick with anything so I was hypervigilant as a child, and I still am.”
Today, Juanita says her symptoms are best managed when she’s working closely with her care team, avoiding getting sick and staying ahead of any symptoms. Ingram said she’s been blessed with skilled doctors who are just as vigilant of her symptoms as she is. While competing in the Mrs. Universe competition, Juanita took extra care to stay clear of other competitors to ensure she didn’t catch a cold or virus that would trigger her severe asthma. “I would stand off to the side and sometimes that could be taken as ‘oh, she thinks she's better than everybody else.’ But if I get sick during a pageant, I'm done. I had to compete with that in mind because my sickness doesn't look like everybody else's sickness.”
Even when her symptoms are under control, living with severe asthma still presents challenges. Juanita relies on her strong support system to overcome the hurdles caused by a lack of understanding from the public, “I think that there's a lot of lack of awareness about how serious severe asthma is. I would [also] tell women to advocate and to trust their intuition and not to allow someone to dismiss what you're experiencing.”
Jania Watson
Jania, a content creator from Atlanta, Georgia, has been living with severe asthma for many years. Thanks to early testing by asthma specialists, Jania was diagnosed with severe asthma as a child after experiencing frequent flare-ups and challenges in her day-to-day life. “I specifically remember, I was starting school, and we were moving into a new house. One of the triggers for me and my younger sister at the time were certain types of carpets. We had just moved into this new house and within weeks of us being there, my parents literally had to pay for all new carpet in the house.”
As Jania grew older, she was suffering from fewer flare-ups and thought her asthma was well under control. However, a trip back to her doctor during high school revealed that her severe asthma was affecting her more than she realized. “That was the first time in a long time I had to do a breathing test,” she describes. “The doctor had me take a deep breath in and blow into a machine to test my breathing. They told me to blow as hard as I could. And I was doing it. I was giving everything I got. [My dad and the doctor] were looking at me like ‘girl, stop playing.’ And at that point [it confirmed] I still have severe asthma because I've given it all I got. It doesn't really go away, but I just learned how to help manage it better.”
Jania recognizes that people who aren’t living with asthma, may not understand the disease and mistake it for something less serious. Or there could be others who think their symptoms are minor, and not worth bringing up. So, for Jania, communicating with others about her diagnosis is key. “Having severe asthma [flare-ups] in some cases looks very similar to being out of shape,” she said. “But this is a chronic illness that I was born with. This is just something that I live with that I've been dealing with. And I think it's important for people to know because that determines the next steps. [They might ask] ‘Do you need a bottle of water, or do you need an inhaler? Do you need to take a break, or do we need to take you to the hospital?’ So, I think letting the people around you know what's going on, just in case anything were to happen plays a lot into it as well.”
Like Juanita, Jania’s journey has been marked by ups and downs, but she remains an unwavering advocate for asthma awareness and support within the Black community. She hopes that her story can be an inspiration to other women with asthma who may not yet have their symptoms under control. “There's still life to be lived outside of having severe asthma. It is always going to be there, but it's not meant to stop you from living your life. That’s why learning how to manage it and also having that support system around you, is so important.”
By sharing their journeys, Juanita and Jania hope to encourage others to embrace their conditions, obtain a proper management plan from a doctor or asthma specialist like a pulmonologist or allergist, and contribute to the improvement of asthma awareness and support, not only within the Black community, but for all individuals living with severe asthma.
Read more stories from others like Juanita and Jania on Amgen.com, or visit Uncontrolled Asthma In Black Women | BREAK THE CYCLE to find support and resources.
'You Did That': Quinta Brunson, Niecy Nash, And Ayo Edebiri Win Emmy Awards
The 75th Emmy Awards occurred last night at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live and was hosted by Anthony Anderson. All the stars, from Issa Rae to Taraji P. Henson, flocked to the illustrious ceremony and enjoyed a night of laughs and riveting moments that took place. One moment that lit up social media was the Martin reunion.
The beloved '90s show, headed by Martin Lawrence, became a staple in many households and can be considered one of the best sitcoms in history. Tisha Campbell, Tichina Arnold, and Carl Anthony Payne II joined Martin onstage of a replica of the Martin set and poked fun at the Emmys and never being nominated. They even had a photo of Thomas Mikal Ford, who played Tommy, on the coffee table. Thomas passed away in 2016 from a ruptured aneurysm in his abdomen.
But that was just one of the memorable bits that happened. Some of our favorite Black actresses won big last night and gave us all the feels.
Quinta Brunson
Big congratulations to Quinta Brunson after she became the first Black woman since 1981 to win the award for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. The Abbott Elementary creator and actress was very emotional while accepting her award and admitted she hadn't prepared a speech. "Thank you so much. I love making Abbott Elementary so much, and I'm so happy to be able to live my dream and act out comedy," she said.
Niecy Nash-Betts
Niecy Nash-Betts gave a powerful acceptance speech after winning the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. The actress played Glenda Cleveland in Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. "You know who I wanna thank, I wanna thank me, for believing in me and doing what they said I could not do, and I want to say to myself in front of all you beautiful. 'Go on, girl, with yo bad self. You did that,"' she cheered.
Finally, I accept this award on behalf of every Black and brown woman who has gone unheard yet over-policed like Glenda Cleveland, like Sandra Bland, like Breonna Taylor. As an artist, my job is to speak true to power, and baby I'mma do it til the day I die."
Ayo Edebiri
Coming off the heels of winning a Golden Globe for her role in The Bear, Ayo Edebiri can now add an Emmy to her collection. The actress won in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category and thanked her parents. "This is a show about found family and real family, and my parents are here tonight," she said. "I'm making them sit kind of far away from me because I'm a bad kid. But I love you so much. Thank you so much for loving me and letting me feel beautiful and Black and proud of all of that. I just love you so much."
Last but not least,The Daily Show with Trevor Noah won for Outstanding Variety Talk Series, and RuPaul's Drag Race won for Outstanding Reality Competition Program.
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Feature image by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images