TheYBF.com hit the black carpet at last night’s ESSENCE Women In Music event

LeLee, Taj, and Coko of SWV are back…and are looking as fabulous as ever.  TheYBF.com hit the set of the trio’s comeback video for their new single "

Amber Rose‘s former publicist is putting her thieving ways on BLAST. 

It’s a WRAP for Fat Joe and wife, Lorena (Rios) Cartagena!   A source tells TheYBF.com that Lorena is splitting, and cheating is the cause of the breakup.

Exclusive details inside…

The hip-hop couple has been together for 17 years.  But it’s all coming to an end, a close friend of Lorena tells TheYBF.com. 

Lorena was down with Terror Squad head honcho Fat Joe, real name Joseph Antonio Cartagena, before his recent mega weight loss, but apparently he got a little too confident and stepped out on his wife one too many times.

We’re told Joe has allegedly been having a year long affair with a 26 year old woman from Dubai, who goes by the uber original name "Ms. Dubai."  She resides in Miami–where Joe, Lorena, and their 5-year-old daughter live as well.  And Joe has supposedly flown her to several places with him and even brought her out in public to parties and such.

But it sounds like the soon-to-be-ex-Mrs. Cartagena is handling the stressful situation well.  A friend tells us:

Happy to say, Lorena is fine and well at this point and as stressful as the situation has been for her, she has a lot of peace with just raising her daughter.

So how did Lorena find out about Ms. Dubai?  Through text messages, of course.  We’re told the alleged pics of Joe and his mistress were sent to Lorena’s phone from a very close friend close to the Terror Squad crew.

Joe & Lorena in happier times
 

The couple spent New Year’s Eve together at a party in Miami.  But Lorena flew solo to a party (pictured at above) for Stephon Marbury‘s wife, Tasha, just last week. 

We’ve also learned that "Love & Hip Hop" executive producer, Mona Scott Young, has reached out several times to Lorena asking her to appear on the show.  But she has continuously declined.

It’s REAL drama for DJ Drama!  The popular Atlanta based DJ known for doing tons of mixtapes with T.I., Nelly, Jim Jones, Rick Ross, and pretty much any other rapper in the game, has found himself caught up in some ish.

TheYBF.com just received EXCLUSIVE details about Drama allegedly cheating on his wife with a 21-year-old…and the shocking offer we’re told he made just to cover it up!

DJ Drama–aka Tyree Simmons–married his former video vixen wife, Summer Walker (above), 3 years ago.  We’ve learned his weekend traveling for work allegedly had a little booty action on the side.  Surprise surprise.

Any given weekend from Thursday to Sunday, Drama usually travels around the country DJ’ing parties at different clubs.  Apparently this is how he met the alleged 21-year-old mistress who lives in Kansas.  We’re told she is one of many "pretty" girls who allegedly get paid by club promoters to party with the celebrity guests.

Summer tells TheYBF.com that the woman in question (above with DJ Drama) claims she cheated with Drama, and he got her pregnant.  The mistress told her she is now 4 months pregnant.

How did Mrs. Drama learn about her hubby getting caught up?  Because little miss (alleged) mistress did what any 21-year-old would do–she sent Summer a Facebook Message!

But get this: DJ Drama apparently didn’t want anyone (including his wife) to know about his alleged transgression.  We’re told Drama offered little miss (alleged) mistress $ 10,000 to end the pregnancy…and to keep quiet!  Needless to say, she is keeping the baby and told Summer she simply "wants Drama to be a good father to their baby." 

Drama’s alleged jumpoff (in the pic directly above)–who ironically has an entire photo album she uploaded a year ago to her Facebook Page entitled "Partying with Dj Drama and the crew"–has been tweeting Summer about the situation as of yesterday.  Summer’s response?

@MsShalaEdwards you are dumb and you will pay for what you have done. Please don’t underestimate me. That would be your downfall

Summer went on to say, "When women have babies just to see what they can get from the man it always ends badly….but hoes will be hoes.  Devising a plan around selfishness will only get you caught up…its called the short end of the stick."

Mrs. Drama is devastated and plans to end the marriage.  Especially because she’s been Drama’s right hand in most of his business matters for the last 3 years.  And has cared for his kids from previous relationships as if they were her own.  Summer, who is currently on her way back home to Texas to be with family, and DJ Drama have no kids together.

We reached out to DJ Drama for comment, his reps offered "No comment."

The Holidays always bring out the best in folks don’t they?

"Love & Hip Hop" star Kimbella is speaking out against the hair-pulling chick Erica Mena.  She made shocking allegations that Erica is just a fame-hungry former stripper from the Valley. In fact, Kimbella claims Erica was stripping and sexing folks for money before she landed on VH1! And she says Erica INDEED called the cops. 

Our exclusive interview inside……

Kimbella Vanderhee, the controversial chick at the center of ALL the drama on "Love & Hip Hop" is telling her side of the story exclusively to TheYBF.com.  During our chat, Kimbella gave her thoughts on her fights with Chrissy and Erica and revealed some shocking details from Erica Mena’s past that I’m sure she doesn’t want you to know about–alleged stripping and sexing for money, doing "Love & Hip Hop" for free, and more.  Here’s our chat….

Did you know Erica before this?

No! What’s wrong with these women? What did I do to Chrissy or Erica for them to do this to me?
I don’t know her….and I haven’t heard anything great about her. The one thing I can tell you is that folks in the industry are saying before “Love & Hip Hop,” she was found stripping in the Valley and giving blow jobs for $ 200. So that is the career that me and VH1 are ruining?

YBF: Erica Mena has been popping off about your big fight this week. She seemed to start going in on you as soon as you opened you mouth and it was your first REAL time meeting?! She says a lot ended up on the cutting floor and the show was shaped to make her look like the bad guy. Do you agree? What’s your side of the story?

Kimbella: I don’t agree. She is bi-polar. In fact, she is a crack whore and you will get to see it in the rest of the episodes brought to you by VH1! She is obviously embarrassed by her actions because she really got to see who “she” really is. She doesn’t know how to conduct herself as a lady and it showed. I basically I was attacked. I tried to stay classy but she tried my patience and crossed the line. It’s crazy to hear her blaming VH1 and not herself.Even the producers were dumbfounded when all this happened.

So for the record–WHO WON THE FIGHT?

I’m not about that. We shouldn’t be fighting because we are both grown women. I’m not going to condone fighting.

Erica said she didn’t call the cops. is this true? Were any police reports filed?

There is a police report filed. She did call the cops…and she was going to press charges (she didn’t). She called the cops because her face was cut. But wait, isn’t she from the Bronx but she’s calling the po po!

Some people think she’s just purposely causing drama to get a permanent slot on the show and make a name for herself. Do you agree?

Yes. And she wants to talk about me doing stuff for free? She’s not a cast member so she’s not even getting paid to be on the shows!

Obviously you’re having a rough time getting along with the girls–you had a fight on your very first episode of this season with Chrissy. Why is that? Do you plan to continue with another season with these ladies?

I don’t know how to answer that. We had a lot of positive things go on but the producers chose to focus on the drama. I wish they would make it more even…a little bit of positive and a little drama. Why do they focus on the negativity?
They show one aspect of my life, which is the drama I go through with females that I don’t know. It’s always a problem!

You tweeted about pitching a LAHH spinoff to creator Mona Scott Young. What would the spinoff entail?

I can’t comment about that, but I’m always trying to venture out and do bigger things.
 

Watch "Love & Hip Hop" Mondays at 8pm on VH1.

She’s the controversial spitfire who’s all about her bottom line and cashing her checks. So why is Yandy Smith coming across as THE instigator on VH1′s "Love & Hip Hop?"

In an exclusive interview with TheYBF.com, the NY native tells her side of the story and says, "I am not the Don King of Reality TV."

Yandy Smith, the hard-working (ex) manager of rapper Jim Jones feels like she’s getting a bad rap this season of “Love & Hip Hop.”

She’s the common third party in the TWO major fights of the season (Chrissy vs. Kimbella; Kimbella vs. Erica Mena).  Yandy tells us, though, she was justas blindsided as everybody else. And the producers controlled who she brought around the rest of the cast…and set up the scenario which would very likely cause a fight.  Are the producers setting her up to be the bad guy? Hmmmmm……………you decide.  Here’s our chat:

YBF: Now you have been the common denominator between both fights involving Kimbella and other cast members.  What’s up with that and why do you keep bringing new people around?

Yandy: What you have to understand is that you don’t just bring who you want. It’s very real…..but situational. They tell you who to bring and it’s very set up. If I come to an event with someone, its because that’s who they told me to bring.  The night before the fight, I had just met Erica. They (the producers) introduced her to me. She said she had researched me and she really wanted to work with me because she wanted to get in the industry. And during dinner, she even mentioned Kimbella’s name in passing when talking about my other clients.  And she was telling me that she’s not like anyone I have ever worked with and I kinda liked her vibe.  But the way it was edited, it looks like she was dissing Kimbella during dinner and then they showed us high-fiving!  Now….why would I go to dinner with this girl and let her talk about my friend and then, the next day, bring her to a lunch Kimbella invited me too?  

We never know exactly what we are walking into, and when I watched it on tv, I felt like it was a set up.
 

YBF: Some people believe you’re an instigator, and you play like you have no idea what’s going on.  And what we can’t understand is why does EVERYBODY wants to fight Kimbella?  Is she always the victim or do you call her out for her wrong doings as well?

Yandy: I know people have been calling me the Don King of reality tv, but what I want folks to know is that you only see 10 mins out of a person’s 24 hour day.  I am not all about money and I am a good friend.  But this is a reality show…it’s for entertainment.  These ladies and I are not really friends, but we are put in social interactions for entertainment purposes.  And sometimes, things happen. The producers like to get a reaction because a good fight can lead to 3 million viewers.  

As for Kimbella, she doesn’t play victim at all.  But for whatever reason, a lot of people (on and off the show) hate on her. I have seen it with my own eyes….people want to pick on her. And now she is so used to people coming for her that she is a little sensitive.  But once you break down that wall, she is a sweet girl. But she is not presented in the best light on this show for a number of reasons.
 

YBF: Any chance of you reconciling with Chrissy after the drama with Jimmy and Mama Jones and you dancing to Nancy’s song?

Yandy: I’ve said it before, I don’t have a problem with Chrissy. I never have.  But I have always been close to Nancy.  We have talked on the phone every day for the past 8 years.  And I wasn’t trying to diss Chrissy when we danced to the song. But it’s like, if you are in the club and a song your favorite auntie made comes on…..you are going to dance! I was like, we in the club and they playing Nancy’s song!  I didn’t think about how that made Chrissy feel…..but I did apologize.

Watch a sneak peek of next week’s episode where Yandy and Erica discuss last week’s fight:

Our suspicions have been confirmed–"Real Housewives of Atlanta" newcomer Marlo Hampton has split with NFLer (and NeNe‘s rumored former side piece) Charles Grant.  She also spoke on his recent arrest…

We reported earlier that Charles Grant, who appeared alongside Marlo on this past week’s episode of RHOA, was arrested last week on felony charges involving bad checks.  Marlo, who is not yet an official co-star, confirmed this evening to TheYBF.com that not only is the arrest news true, but the two have called off their engagement:

"I truly regret that this has happened to him," Marlo tells TheYBF.com.  "While my relationship with Charles ended earlier this year, I hope he will put these challenging circumstances behind him and move forward."

No wonder she and NeNe have been acting like besties for months now.  No word yet on Charles’ bail status.

Yes…we’ll have some eggs with a side of cut abs and sexiness for breakfast this morning.  We have the exclusive first look at Q Parker of 112′s brand new 2012 fitness calendar–complete with shirtlessness.

We’ve also got his first single "Show You How" off his upcoming album, and Q gives TheYBF.com readers an exclusive video intro….

Oh…hello there Mr. Parker.  He may be a dad and husband now, but he’s keeping up his fitness and showing it off in his 2012 fitness calendar.  Gotta love when a man shows it off for a cause.  The calendar, shot photographer Allen Cooley (who did the 2011 calendar as well) in various locations around Atlanta, will have a portion of the proceeds donated to support breast cancer and prostate cancer research.

Check out our exclusive sneak peek of the cover and January and February months:

You can cop it here.

By the way, Q’s got a brand new single called "Show You How" that will appear on his upcoming debut album The MANual.  And we know this dude’s got some skills, remember this? The single, produced by Kendrick Dean and written by JQue Smith, hits radio in January.

Check out Q’s introduction to the track exclusively for The YBF readers below:

The MANual will be released via Q’s own NeWFAM Entertainment production company and independent Malaco Records Spring 2012.  Listen to the upbeat and mellow single below:

You feelin’ it?

After news broke this morning that Tameka Raymond filed a petition against her ex-husband Usher for custody and more child support, there’s more to the story.

Tameka’s lawyer exclusively issued a statement to TheYBF.com inside…

Lisa West, legal counsel for Tameka Raymond, tells TheYBF.com that Tameka’s filing was not a ploy for custody and more money, it was simply a response to USHER’S own initial request for (more) custody from this past January.

West defends Tameka’s decision to protect her children from being shuffled around the world on a constant basis.  She speaks on Tameka fighting for her children’s stability saying, "Ms. Raymond desires nothing more than for Mr. Raymond to have a relationship and spend quality time with their two children as consistently as possible. She, however, has never been willing to sacrifice their children’s safety and welfare in her efforts to forge such a relationship and has vigorously fought to ensure the children are reared in a stable home environment."

West goes on to say the recent news of Tameka’s filing was part of Usher’s retaliation efforts. All because Tameka demanded to see her children–which Usher prevented her from doing–during the Holidays last year and other times.

The statement to TheYBF.com continues:

Unfortunately, Ms. Raymond’s efforts have caused her to be subjected to repeated instances of retaliation by Mr. Raymond, most especially when she has expressed concerns over his lifestyle and its effects upon their children. Although Mr. Raymond’s actions of refusing to abide by the child support provisions and financial terms of the divorce decree are instances of his retaliation against Ms. Raymond, the most evident instance was the custody petition he filed in January 2011 after she refused to allow their 2- and 3-year-old children to accompany him on his tour to Germany and other parts of the world.

And before you’re quick to believe everything Mr. Raymond says, Tameka’s counsel says most of his petition was made up of lies in order to gain custody of the kids himself:

Although media reports have failed to mention the fabricated claims in Mr. Raymond’s petition to which Ms. Raymond was responding, those who actually know them both know the truth. While Mr. Raymond has chosen to fight this battle in the public, Ms. Raymond’s interests lie in fighting only for the best interests of her children.

Details developing….