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1970s Throwback, Lenora — Helping Fans to ‘Relax’ with her Music

NNPA NEWSWIRE — By every definition, Lenora is a throwback. For “Relax,” she introduces an alter-ego, “Suga’ Love,” an afro-wearing “Foxy Brown” like character whose looks underscore the fad-happy decade of the 1970s. “I’m a ’90s baby, but at heart, I’m like a child of the ’70s. That era of music heavily influences me,” she notes. (Photography, beauty and styling by RIOT MUSE)

Published

7 years ago

November 12, 2019

Oakland Post

For “Relax,” she introduces an alter-ego, “Suga’ Love,” an afro-wearing Foxy Brown-like character whose looks underscore the fad-happy decade of the 1970s.

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Chelsea Lenora White – simply Lenora to her family and fans – is proving herself to be one of the most exciting rising singers in the music industry.

The Houston-based crooner has released, “Relax,” a smooth tune with a languid feel that gives listeners a carefree, letting go, sensual experience.

Unintentionally reminiscent of Diana Ross’ “Love Hangover,” Lenora’s “Relax” counts as a throwback to the 1970s with enough appeal to make lasting impressions throughout the next decade.

“Just relax,” Lenora sings on the track. “You could do it if you put your mind to it.”

When asked about the connection to Ms. Ross, Lenora said she’s a fan, and “Love Hangover” happens to be a song she loves.

“It probably was subconscious for sure,” Lenora says of the similarity the opening of “Relax” has to “Love Hangover.”

“When I work with producers, I always will give them something that I have listened to and something that I like, and ‘Love Hangover’ is a song that I like,” she stated.

The single contains a bass guitar riff that is also a nod to Marvin Gaye’s, 1976 hit, “I Want You.”

By every definition, Lenora is a throwback.

For “Relax,” she introduces an alter-ego, “Suga’ Love,” an afro-wearing Foxy Brown-like character whose looks underscore the fad-happy decade of the 1970s.

“I’m a ’90s baby, but at heart, I’m like a child of the ’70s. That era of music heavily influences me,” she notes.

While the ’70s is known for the lack of boundaries, Lenora understands that modern-day artists are under more of a microscope, mostly because of social media.

“I’m cautious. I love that era of music, but it always has to be fresh and new,” Lenora stated.

“Even with the cover art we use for the single, I thought was tasteful.”

In the cover art, Lenora is in her underwear, but unlike the penchant today to photograph sexy women in thongs and G-strings, she’s decked out in full bottom briefs. She’s also facing away from the camera, so only the back of her bra is revealed.

It’s just another way in which Lenora gets her message across for people to “Relax.”

“I draw a parallel between blue cheese and ranch,” Lenora stated regarding the line she chooses not to cross when displaying such sensuality in her music.

“A lot of people don’t like blue cheese, but I love blue cheese. But ranch is agreeable to everyone. So, with ‘Relax” I was like okay; this record is like my ranch dressing. Everybody can get on board with this.”

Lenora and her team, which includes the influential Houston-based producers, Beanz n Kornbread, and award-winning songwriter Dustin “Dab” Bowie, wrote the hit single in one hour.

Lenora said she just so happened to be in the same studio as Bowie one night, and she eventually played some music for him.

It was a Saturday night in Los Angeles, Lenora explained.

A flight she had scheduled to leave two days later was delayed, so Lenora returned to the studio, and that’s where she and Bowie co-wrote “Relax.”

Already, the song has touched listeners in ways Lenora found surprising.

“I feel like music is therapy, music is escapism. I always hope my music will heal and provide therapy,” Lenora noted. “A girl told me that the song saved her life. She said that in the song, I remind people to breathe. Some people’s lives are so hectic that they want something for themselves to be able to get away even if they can’t afford to get away physically, the music can provide some of that escapism for them.”

Lenora started singing in Kindergarten and has wowed audiences from her church to local venues in Houston and on into college where she’s classically trained, and where her golden voice mastered the Opera.

It might surprise most who have heard her sing that Lenora went through a period of self-doubt and stopped performing.

“I think it was like six years that I didn’t put music out. It was 2017 when I finally started singing again,” Lenora said.

After a self-imposed hiatus, Lenora returned to the spotlight for a special performance in Washington, D.C.

She belted out another Diana Ross tune, “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” during the enshrinement ceremony of her late grandmother and former Houston Forward Times Publisher, Lenora “Doll” Carter.

The ceremony inducted Carter into the Gallery of Distinguished Black Publishers.

“I knew I couldn’t stay away from music,” Lenora stated. “But, I had management and people telling me to do things that I didn’t necessarily agree with. When I did come back out, I did a performance called ‘Motown and More,’ and it’s a huge deal. There are 40,000 people there over the weekend for that show, and I had never done it before 2017. When I did the audition, they were like, “Who are you?” “Where have you been?” And I realized that this style of music is who I am.”

With a hot new single and tens of thousands of followers on social media, Lenora is on the fast track to superstardom.

“That Motown show opened doors for me in terms of people knowing what I do. ‘Relax’ is the biggest so far for me, it’s getting a lot of radio play,” Lenora stated.

“It’s trending in the West Indies and London, and that’s crazy because I’ve never been to any of those places yet. I’m not a brand-new artist, but essentially I am a new artist because I’ve rebranded, I’ve taken a step back.”

“Relax” is available on all streaming platforms.

Download “Relax”: https://song.link/relax

Connect with Lenora:

Facebook: Facebook.com/SincerelyLenora

Instagram: @SincerelyLenora

Twitter: @SincerelyLenora

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

admin

Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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