THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT NICKI MINAJ!

Hip-hop artist Nicki Minaj was featured in seven songs on Billboard's Hot 100 at the same time, even before the release of her debut album in 2010.

SYNOPSIS

Born in 1982, famed hip-hop artist Nicki Minaj grew up with an abusive, drug-addicted father. After attending La Guardia High School for the Arts, she was introduced to rapper Lil Wayne, who launched her career. Her 2010 debut album, Pink Friday, and her single, "Your Love," topped the Billboard charts.
A frequent "cameo" singer, Minaj's voice was featured in seven songs on Billboard's Hot 100 in 2010. In 2012, Minaj was announced as one of the new judges of the popular singing show American Idol twelfth season. She also released the hit album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded that same year.

EARLY LIFE

Hip-hop artist and singer Nicki Minaj was born Onika Tanya Maraj on December 8, 1982, in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago, and moved with her family to Queens, New York, when she was 5 years old. Minaj's father was a severe drug addict with a long history of violence. At one point, he set fire to the family's home in a failed attempt to kill Minaj's mother. Those early struggles, Minaj has said, helped fuel her drive to rise above the life her parents knew. "I've always had this female-empowerment thing in the back of my mind," she told Details magazine, "because I wanted my mother to be stronger, and she couldn't be. I thought, 'If I'm successful, I can change her life.'"

To reach that point, however, the young Minaj developed personas for herself that would allow her to be a "new person." An early incarnation was someone she called "Cookie," then came "Harajuku Barbie," before finally settling on Nicki Minaj. "Fantasy was my reality," she has said. Minaj clearly had a knack for performance. At the age of 12, she authored her first rap, then went on to delve into acting at La Guardia High School of Music and Art, the school that inspired the movie Fame.

RAPPER AND SINGER

Determined to make it in the music business, Minaj took on backup singing roles for local New York City rappers. Soon, she began writing her own material. She was eventually discovered by Dirty Money CEO Fendi, who came across Minaj's MySpace page, loved what he heard, and immediately signed her to his label.

That connection led Minaj to Lil Wayne, who collaborated with her on a series of mix tapes, the first of which, Playtime is Over, was released in April 2007. The recording, and subsequent mixed tapes, showcased Minaj's female swagger and out-front style.

By early 2010, considerable anticipation had built up around Minaj's much discussed, much covered debut album, which was scheduled for release that fall. In April of that year, she released her first single, "Massive Attack." Two months later she won Best Hip-Hop Female at the annual BET Awards. She dedicated the award to Lil Wayne.

'AMERICAN IDOL' JUDGE

In March 2012, Minaj made a guest appearance on the popular television competition American Idol. She told singer Jennifer Lopez, then a judge on the show, to "scoot over a little bit" to make room for her at the judges' table. Rumors then flew of a feud between Minaj and Lopez, which Minaj later dismissed. Later that year, however, Minaj apparently got her wish when it announced as one of the newest cast members of American Idol. The singer signed on as part of the show's judging panel. It didn't take long before the fireworks began between her and fellow judge Mariah Carey. The pair seemed to take an instant dislike to each other, and openly feuded during the show's early auditions.

Television viewers got to see the two square off against each other once the show's twelfth season began airing in early 2013. Minaj and Carey got into an argument during auditions in Charlotte, North Carolina, with Minaj later storming off stage. Carey later claimed that Minaj threatened her with physical harm and decided to hire extra security as a result, according to the New York Daily News.

Minaj has also been critical of the show, tweeting that American Idol "is NOT a singing competition."

RECENT PROJECTS

One of rap and dance music's rising stars, Minaj reached a national audience with her 2012 Super Bowl appearance. She performed alongside pop superstar Madonna in the game's popular halftime show. A short time later, Minaj released the album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. The record proved to be a smash hit, reaching the top of the pop, R&B and rap charts. The infectious dance song, "Starships," was the first breakout single. "Pound the Alarm" soon followed and as did "Va Va Voom."

Later that same year, Minaj released a new version of her album entitled Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded—The Re-Up. "Freedom" was its first single and it proved enormously popular with her fans.

 biography.com

VIDEO:ATLETICO MADRID vs BAYERN MUNICH ~ ALL HIGHLIGHTS & GOALS!

German champions Bayern Munich were dealt an early blow against Atletico Madrid at Vincente Calderon in the champions league semifinal first leg when Saul Niguez produced one of the best goals in champions league this season. Saul dribbled past 4-5 Bayern players and slotted home with a neat delicate finish at the far post past Manuel Neuer to put home side 1-0 up.
Atletico Madrid 1-0 FC Bayern Munich Highlights
UEFA Champions League 2016 – Semifinal 1st Leg
11′ 1 – 0 Saul Niguez
Atletico Madrid scored the opening goal in just 11th minute and what a strike it was. 21 year old Saul Niguez recieved the ball at the halfway mark of the pitch and beat 4 Bayern players before produced an absolute class finish to make it 1-0 for Atletico.
Once Atletico takes the lead it is so hard to break them down and Bayern Munich found it out as they were hurled of the ball time and again by hard working Atletico players. Bayern had couple of decent chances but the best one fell for Atletico when on a break away move Torres turned Alaba inside out with a nice move before producing a nice flick shot at the far post which struck the woodwork.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW!

WAYS TO KEEP YOUR RELATIONSHIP WORKING (advice)!

There can be different and very many ways to keep a a relationship working and healthy depending on different aspects.

The following are 15 ways to keep your relationship working.Work on them.

1. Love each other

2. Don't lie

3. Keep communication open

4. Stay sweet

5. When you get hurt just forgive and forget

6. Never talk about break-ups

7. Never say it's okay even when it's not

8. Forget about "pride"

9. If you say sorry mean it

10. Don't compare your past with your present

11. Don't talk about your stupid ex's

12. Give and take process

13. Beware of his/her feelings

14. When you had a fight, don't let the day pass

15. Don't be the perfect one, be the right one.
Mostly important, Pray together for everything.Godly relationships are forever relationships.

I wish you all the Best.
May God bless you abundantly!

Loyan!

awesomequotes4u

THINGS YOU DO'NT KNOW ABOUT CRISTIANO RONALDO!

Cristiano Ronaldo is a professional soccer player who has set records while playing for both Manchester United and Real Madrid.

Synopsis

Cristiano Ronaldo was born on February 5, 1985, in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. Manchester United paid £12 million to sign him in 2003—a record fee for a player of his age. In the 2004 FA Cup final, he scored Manchester's first three goals and helped them capture the championship.
In 2008, he set a franchise record for goals scored. In 2009, Real Madrid paid a record $131 million for his services.

Early Life

Born Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro on February 5, 1985, in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, a small island off the western coast of the country, Ronaldo is the youngest of four children born to Maria Dolores dos Santos and Jose Dinis Aveiro. He was named after Ronald Reagan, a favorite actor of his father's.
Ronaldo grew up in a largely working class neighborhood, his home a small tin roofed shack that overlooked the ocean. His early life was shaped by hardship; his father, a gardener, often drank too much, and eventually died from kidney problems in 2005. To help keep the children fed, and maintain some financial stability, Ronaldo's mother worked as a cook and cleaning person.

Intro to Soccer

It was through his dad's work as an equipment manager at a boy's club that Ronaldo was first introduced to the game of soccer. By the time he was 10 years old, he was already recognized as a phenomenon—a kid who ate, slept and drank the game. "All he wanted to do as a boy was play football," his godfather, Fernao Sousa, recalled for British reporters, adding, "He loved the game so much he'd miss meals or escape out of his bedroom window with a ball when he was supposed to be doing his homework."
By his early teens, Ronaldo's talent and legend had grown considerably. After a stint with Nacional da liha da Madeira, he signed with Sporting Portugal in 2001. That same year, at the tender age of 16, Ronaldo turned heads with a mesmerizing performance against Manchester United, wowing even his opponents with his footwork and deft skill. He made such an impression that a number of United players asked their manager to try and sign the young player. It wasn't long before the club paid Ronaldo's team more than £12 million for his services - a record fee for a player of his age.

Success with Manchester United

Ronaldo, however, did not disappoint. He showed his promise early on in the 2004 FA Cup final, scoring the team's first three goals and helping them capture the championship. In 2008, a year after signing a five-year, £31 million contract, Ronaldo again justified the high tab when he put together one of the club's finest seasons in history, setting a franchise record for goals scored (42), and earning himself the FIFA World of the Year honor. In all, Ronaldo helped steer Manchester United to three premier league titles.

But Ronaldo's time in England was marred by his mother's 2007 struggle with breast cancer as well as his father's death from alcohol-related illness. The latter was especially hard for Ronaldo as the two had been close, and the young athlete had often pushed for his father to enter rehab and address his drinking. His father, however, never accepted the offer.

Departure to Real Madrid

As lauded as Ronaldo was on the field for Manchester United, his commitment to the club came under constant question. Speculation swirled that he wanted to play elsewhere. So in 2009, when Spanish soccer club Real Madrid agreed to pay United a record $131 million for the chance to sign him, nobody was all that surprised to see Ronaldo leave United.

"I know that they are going to demand a lot of me to be successful at the club and I know that I'm going to have much more pressure than at Manchester United because I was there for many years," Ronaldo told reporters. "But it means a new challenge and is going to help me be the best footballer."

In addition to his FIFA World Player of the year award, Ronaldo has also won the coveted Ballon d'OR, the Golden Boot, and been named the UEFA Club Forward of the Year, among other honors during the course of his career.

8 FINANCIAL LESSONS FROM ADELE!

Adele is the hottest thing in music these days, as her new album 25 is setting all kinds of sales records and receiving ubiquitous radio airplay.

The British songstress has some amazing pipes, but there's some evidence that she's also pretty savvy with her funds, and can teach us a thing or two about money management. 

We may not become multi-millionaires living in large castles in the English countryside, but following the singer's financial lead could mean extra dollars in our wallets. Here are eight financial lessons we can learn from Adele.

1. Know Your Worth

When Adele released her latest album, 25, she refused to allow it to appear on streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. That's because she had an instinct that people would be willing to pay for the full album itself. And she was right, as it recorded 3.4 million sales in the first week alone.

2. Own What You Create

Adele is wealthy not only because she sells a lot of albums and concert tickets, but because she gets other revenue from the ownership of her music and lyrics. In fact, her company, Melted Stone, has a publishing arm that pulled in more than $7.8 million in 2014.

3. Use an Old Phone

No fancy iPhone for Adele, it seems -- at least not if her music videos are any indication. In the video to her hit single "Hello," Adele is seen talking into a flip phone. A flip phone! It's unclear from what antique store she bought the phone, but she's probably not concerned about overages on her data plan. While Adele may or may not have a more updated phone in real life, the premise is still valid -- don't buy new technologies you don't actually need.

4. Shop at Thrift Stores

British newspaper The Sun reported that Adele isn't keen on shopping at fancy stores, despite her vast wealth. She's been known to frequent thrift stores near her home in the English countryside. "Adele is like any normal girl -- she loves a bargain," a source told The Sun.

5. Dress Simply and Flexibly

There's no doubt that Adele will be pushed to set some fashion trends, but she seems most content keeping things basic, especially during performances. The singer is most often seen in simple black dresses, and even the music video for the hit song "Hello" shows her in versatile items like a checked coat, plaid shirt, and printed scarves. "Not only are Adele's vocals in the video beautifully powerful but her fashion choices are attainable," the website Mashable reported.

6. Avoid Crazy Lifestyle Inflation

Okay, so she moved into an $8.5 million mansion. That's a big step up. But Adele claims that she isn't suddenly spending extravagantly on luxury items. She told the Daily Mail that she did begin shopping at a higher-end online grocer, but only got a flat-screen television not long ago. "That's probably the biggest change, honestly," she told the newspaper. "That's about it, really. I got a plasma [television]. I used to have that big thick one up until recently."

7. Find a Good Formula and Stick With It

Adele has achieved great success by sticking with what has worked for her: singing big, powerful ballads about love and loss. She does it better than anyone else, so why mess with a good thing? This approach can be applied to investing, where it's often best to buy stocks and mutual funds that have a good track record of success and simply letting them do their thing.

8. Take Care of Your Health

People don't always think of health as a personal finance decision, but it is. It's hard to work and earn money if you are injured or ill, and ignoring seemingly minor health issues can lead to big, expensive procedures later. Adele underwent surgery on her vocal cords in 2012, and while the ordeal put her on the shelf for a while, it preserved her voice and allowed her to continue her record-breaking career.

wisebread.com

NYC TO DONALD TRUMP: HE'S NOT ONE OF US!

New York (CNN)Donald Trump's presidential campaign is rocking his hometown of New York City as he is poised for a thumping victory in the state's primary on Tuesday.

Trump is dominating the polls with a double-digit lead over his rivals, Ted Cruz and John Kasich. The billionaire could pick up close to all of the 95 delegates at stake in the state, where he is especially popular among voters in upstate and rural regions.

10 photos:

Donald Trump defines New York values in his own words

That makes Trump's unpopularity in this diverse metropolis -- where he has been a fixture in the business, political and social scenes for decades -- all the more striking. His candidacy is widely viewed as distasteful and offensive by many residents. 

Delvin James of Harlem, a New Yorker of 25 years who is originally from Italy, works as a translator in the city. A registered Democrat who will vote for Hillary Clinton, James said Trump was an "embarrassment" to the city, particularly his comments about immigrants.

"My response is, wow. Every time. I always go, wow," said James, 40, who is black. "Any other country, they have a representative here in New York. He's already offended everybody in the whole world except white Americans."

14 photos:

Lianna Remigao, 19, a student at City College, was born to parents from the Dominican Republic. To Remigao, New York City represents the "land of opportunity," and says she personally feels targeted by Trump's campaign platform.

Ted Cruz sweeps Wyoming Republican Convention

"You can't represent New York City and claim you're a New Yorker if you're so against the diversity and the melting pot that is this country -- New York City, especially," said Remigao, who is a Bernie Sanders supporter. "We have the Statue of Liberty that represents great things, welcoming people into America."

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pledged: 552

unpledged: 1

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Remigao's boyfriend, Julian Irizarry, chimed in that Trump was making "New York look bad." Irizarry, who grew up in New Jersey's Hudson County, said Trump's proposed temporary ban on Muslim immigration was racist.

"I don't look at him as a New Yorker," said Irizarry, who is of Puerto Rican and Italian descent. "I look at him the way I look at Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian -- someone who's just famous and rich."

28 photos: Presidential pulling power

Polls show that the majority of city residents are opposed to Trump's campaign, and voters describe his platform as an affront to their values. Trump has kept his distance from the city during the New York primary campaign, focusing his efforts in the state in upstate New York. He will hold a rally later Monday -- on the eve of the primary -- in Buffalo, where his support is strong.

Yet Trump is a ubiquitous presence across the city. Remigao and Irizarry spoke with a reporter on a grassy lawn at the southwest corner of Central Park, within sight of the Trump International Hotel and Tower, a 52-story structure with a gilded entrance on Central Park West.

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Born in Queens, Trump himself has long been a fixture of New York City. For decades, Trump's playboy lifestyle and multiple weddings and divorces were favorite features in the city's tabloids. Trump flirted in the past with running for New York City mayor.

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He has garnered the support of at least one prominent local Republican -- former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who said he plans to vote for his long-time friend. 

But other Republican leaders have steered clear. Former Gov. George Pataki, who briefly ran for president this cycle, endorsed Kasich; Michael Bloomberg, the Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent former mayor has denounced Trump aggressively and considered running as an independent against him. 

His name pops up in real estate developments around New York. Along the Hudson River and parallel to the West Side Highway sit a row of buildings that make up Trump Place -- luxury condominiums that stretch from 59th Street to 72nd Street. The Trump name is featured on numerous other buildings across the city, including Trump Parc, Trump Soho New York and Trump World Tower. 

GOP rules fight flares up behind scenes

Trump resides in the penthouse of Trump Tower, a skyscraper in Midtown where he announced his 2016 campaign and where his popular reality TV show, "The Apprentice," was based. It has become the headquarters of Trump's White House campaign and the site of frequent press conferences. 

His New York roots have been a flashpoint in the Republican race. Earlier this year, Cruz criticized Trump for his "New York values," suggesting Trump was out of touch with the rest of the country. Trump responded by defending the city and citing its response to the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center.

"New York values were on display for all to see in the aftermath of 9/11 -- a strike at the heart of our city and our nation," Trump said last week at the New York state Republican Party's annual gala. "In our darkest moments, as a city, we showed the world the very, very best in terms of bravery and heart and soul that we have in America."

Trump escalates attacks against RNC, Cruz 04:29

Trump's rebuke to Cruz won applause even from some Democrats. But for the most part, local political leaders say he has been a disturbing political force, and someone who has frightened and insulted voters in the ctiy.

Elected officials, many of whom represent diverse minority communities, say they have been bombarded with concerns about the prospect of a Trump presidency. His rhetoric about immigration, they say, has been especially alarming to New Yorkers. 

"We folks in the city, we all live side by side with each other and Donald Trump has a more segregated type of message rather than a message of integration," said Keith Wright, a Democratic Assemblyman from Manhattan who is running for Congress. "People are amazed at how well he is doing. They talk about it all the time."

RNC chief dismisses Trump's comments as 'hyperbole'

Ron Kim, a Korean-American Democratic Assemblyman from Flushing -- a heavily Asian neighborhood in Queens -- said some of his constituents "absolutely terrified" by the headway Trump has made in this election. 

"We have a lot of pride in embracing the immigrant experience and making sure that we celebrate diversity and he's running on the opposite of that and that's very disappointing for New Yorkers," Kim said. "Is this the beginning of hateful candidates coming up to national platforms? ... I think for a community like mine, they fear that."

Some leaders have taken active steps to distance the city and state from Trump. State Senator Daniel Squadron has helped lead a campaign to strip Trump's name from the Donald J. Trump State Park, located in Westchester and Putnam Counties.

There have been similar petitions for the city to terminate its contracts with Trump on projects like the Trump Golf Links golf course in the Bronx and an ice skating rink in Central Park. 

Squadron, a Democrat who represents parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan, said his constituents have pressured him to weigh in on the 2016 election -- specifically, to "stand up to Trump."

"The idea of building a presidential campaign on divisiveness and hate is offensive and New York State shouldn't have a part in honoring a person who does it," Squadron said, explaining the state park campaign.

"There was an enthusiasm on the streets about the Obama candidacy and it was energizing," Squadron said. "There is a similar energy on the street now in my district, but it's driven by a fear of Trump."

cnn.com