FreddyO

Monica Everything To Me

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January 19, 2010

Atlanta’s own Monica is back, and she is singing like a woman who means every single word. FreddyO caught her performing “Everything to Me” live at Traxx Atlanta over MLK weekend, and she had that whole room in the palm of her hand. When Monica grabs a microphone, you do not talk and you do not text — you listen.

“Everything to Me” is the first single from Monica’s upcoming album Still Standing, and it is the kind of record that reminds you why we fell in love with her voice in the first place. Built around a classic Deniece Williams sample, it is a grown-woman love song about the one person who holds her down. After everything Monica has been through in the public eye, this album is personal — and this performance proves it.

Traxx was packed for MLK weekend, one of the biggest party weekends of the year in Atlanta, and Monica gave the home crowd a moment they will not forget. Dressed to kill, with a room full of fans singing along to every word, she delivered the record with the runs, the riffs and the raw emotion that have made her one of R&B’s most respected voices since she was a teenager singing “Don’t Take It Personal.”

Press play above and watch Monica do what only Monica can do. Still Standing is on the way — tell us in the comments: is “Everything to Me” already a classic Monica record?

Watch more exclusive videos on the FreddyO YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@freddyo1983

Atlanta, Celebrity News

The Frankie & Neffe Show Season 2

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January 12, 2010

If you thought the first season of Frankie & Neffe was something, just wait. FreddyO caught up with the one and only Frankie Lons right here in Atlanta, and she is letting it be known that the show is coming back for season two this spring on BET, bigger and better than ever.

Frankie and her daughter Neffe became the breakout stars of Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is, so much so that BET gave the mother-daughter duo their own spin-off last year, and viewers could not get enough. Between Frankie’s big, unfiltered personality and Neffe’s no-nonsense attitude, the show turned into must-see TV, mixing laugh-out-loud moments with real family healing. The cameras followed the family right here in Atlanta as they worked through old pain and tried to build something new together.

This time around, Frankie says she is focused on her growth, her family and keeping her life on the right track, while Neffe is juggling motherhood and stepping into her own spotlight, including new music she has been working on. And of course Keyshia Cole will never be far from the family business as the singer works on her next chapter. Expect the whole crew, plenty of heart-to-hearts and that signature Frankie energy nobody else on television can copy.

Press play to hear Frankie tell it in her own words, and tell us in the comments: will you be tuned in when Frankie & Neffe returns to BET this spring?

Watch more exclusive videos on the FreddyO YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@freddyo1983

Atlanta, Celebrity News

Luda’s… “How Low Can You Go” :Video

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January 12, 2010

Atlanta, stand up! Ludacris touched down at Club Crucial and shut it down with a live run through his new single ‘How Low,’ and FreddyO was right there in the building to catch it. Luda had the whole club turned up, daring the ladies to show him how low they could go, and the A did not disappoint. There is nothing like seeing Luda perform in his own backyard — the energy inside Crucial was crazy from the moment he grabbed the mic.

‘How Low’ is the lead single from Luda’s upcoming album Battle of the Sexes, due in stores this March, and the Shawty Redd-produced banger is already heating up clubs across the country. The record is vintage Luda — wild, funny and made for the dance floor — and it has the whole city talking about what the album is going to bring. Coming off Theatre of the Mind and a string of scene-stealing guest verses, Mr. Christopher Bridges is clearly back in go mode.

Club Crucial has long been one of the proving grounds of Atlanta nightlife, the kind of spot where a record lives or dies by the crowd’s reaction — and ‘How Low’ passed the test with flying colors. The DJ ran it, Luda worked every corner of the stage, and the floor stayed packed all night. When Luda performs at home it is part concert, part family reunion, and this night was definitely both.

Monica & Ludacris First Performance ‘Still Standing’

Salute to Ludacris for always repping the A! Press play and watch him work, and let us know in the comments — how low can YOU go?

Watch more exclusive videos on the FreddyO YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@freddyo1983

Atlanta, Celebrity News

Frankie Tells It All

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January 8, 2010

Frankie Lons is telling it ALL, and honey, she is not holding back.

FreddyO caught up with Keyshia Cole’s beloved mother for a rapid-fire game of confirm or deny, and the reality TV fan favorite did what she always does — kept it all the way real. From family business to the rumor that has everybody talking — did her baby girl really jump the broom? — Frankie answers it all with that signature no-nonsense charm that made her a star in her own right.

The timing could not be juicier. R&B songstress Keyshia Cole just kicked off 2010 with major personal news: her boyfriend, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson, popped the question on New Year’s Day, and the couple confirmed their engagement to the world this week. After riding high on her 2008 album A Different Me — home to the smash “I Remember” — Keyshia is stepping into the new decade with a new ring and, if the streets are talking, possibly wedding bells on the horizon.

And who better to spill the tea than Frankie? The outspoken matriarch stole America’s heart on BET’s Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is, where her candid one-liners and tough-love wisdom made her one of reality TV’s most unforgettable personalities. Whether she is dishing on her daughter’s love life or setting the record straight on the family’s business, Frankie brings the laughs and the honesty every single time.

In this exclusive clip, FreddyO puts Frankie in the hot seat and she handles every question like the pro she is. Confirm or deny? Watch and see for yourself.

Watch more exclusive videos on the FreddyO YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@freddyo1983

Atlanta, Celebrity News

Fantasia Live 2010 “Tell Me Something Good & Prince Tribute”

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January 8, 2010

Atlanta, if you missed the Chaka Khan tribute concert, you missed a night this city will be talking about for a long time — and Fantasia made sure of that. Tasia hit the stage and took everybody straight to church and back with her performance of the Rufus classic “Tell Me Something Good,” and FreddyO was right there to capture it.

There is a short list of singers who can stand in front of a crowd and sing a legend’s signature song without blinking, and Fantasia is on it. She did not try to copy Chaka note for note — she put her own soul, her own growl and her own testimony into it, and the crowd felt every word. When Tasia gets in that zone, there is not a voice in the game that can touch her.

The night celebrated the music of a true icon, and Fantasia also saluted Prince, proving once again that real artistry crosses generations. Since winning American Idol, she has taken her share of hits in her personal life, but nights like this are a reminder of why we fell in love with her in the first place: that voice is a gift, plain and simple.

Fantasia Live — ‘When I See You’ in Atlanta

Press play and watch Tasia do what she does best. If this is how 2010 is starting, R&B is in good hands. Tell me in the comments — who else could have pulled this off?

Watch more exclusive videos on the FreddyO YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@freddyo1983

Atlanta, Celebrity News

Kandi Burruss, Kim Zolciak, & Whyclef Jean Singing Live – Kandi Koated Nights

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January 7, 2010

Kandi Koated Nights is back, and this episode is one for the books. Kandi Burruss welcomed her Real Housewives of Atlanta castmate Kim Zolciak and none other than Wyclef Jean for a night of grown-folks conversation, and FreddyO has the footage of the three of them breaking into live song together. Only Kandi could put a Fugees legend and the Tardy for the Party singer at the same table and somehow make it all work.

Kandi Koated Nights has quickly become the place where Atlanta’s favorites let their guard all the way down, talking love, sex and relationships with no filter after dark. Kim, who never met a spotlight she did not like, was right at home, and Wyclef brought that real musician energy that turned a talk segment into an impromptu jam session. Watching a hit-making songwriter like Kandi trade moments with Wyclef is a reminder of just how deep her musical roots really run, long before reality TV ever entered the picture.

Moments like this are exactly why Kandi’s show keeps growing. She is not just a Housewife with a camera, she is a Grammy-winning writer with real relationships in this industry, and her guests know they can pull up and be themselves. If this is how 2010 is starting off for Kandi Koated Nights, we cannot wait to see who takes a seat at that table next.

Kandi Burruss Speaks on Kim Zolciak Beef

Press play and enjoy the jam session for yourself, then tell us in the comments: who had the best vocals of the night, Kandi, Kim or Wyclef?

Watch more exclusive videos on the FreddyO YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@freddyo1983

Atlanta, Celebrity News

KeKe Wyatt Performing ‘Nothing In This World’ Live

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January 5, 2010

There are singers, and then there are sangers, and KeKe Wyatt has always been in a class of her own. FreddyO caught up with the R&B vocalist for a live performance of her fan favorite “Nothing In This World,” and the exclusive video is a reminder of why her voice has been respected in this business since she was a teenager. When KeKe opens her mouth, you do not just hear a song, you feel it.

KeKe first introduced herself to the world with her platinum-selling debut album Soul Sista in 2001, the same era that gave us her unforgettable duet with Avant. Raised singing in church in Indianapolis, she built her voice the old-fashioned way, and it shows in every run, every growl and every sky-high note she reaches without breaking a sweat. “Nothing In This World” has been a staple for her fans since those early days, and hearing her deliver it live, raw and unfiltered, is a completely different experience from the record.

What separates KeKe from so many of her peers is that she does not need a big production to make a moment. Give her a microphone and a room, and she will turn it into a concert and a church service at the same time. Her control, her emotion and the way she testifies through a lyric have made her one of the most in-demand live vocalists in R&B, and performances like this one are exactly why audiences across the country keep demanding to see her on stage.

Keke Wyatt ‘Long As I Live’ at NeNe Leakes Birthday

With a brand new album on the way this year, KeKe Wyatt is reminding everybody that real singing is alive and well. Do yourself a favor and press play on the performance above, then tell a friend that one of the greatest voices of this generation is still out here giving it everything she has, every single time.

Watch more exclusive videos on the FreddyO YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@freddyo1983

Atlanta, Celebrity News

Ester Dean ‘Drop It Low’ Live

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December 1, 2009

Atlanta got a first look at a star on the rise when Ester Dean hit the stage to perform her smash “Drop It Low” live, and FreddyO was front and center. The singer and songwriter brought the record to life at Polow Da Don’s Zone 4 Thanksgiving turkey drive, turning a day of giving back into a full-blown party for everybody who came out.

If you have had the radio on at all this fall, you know the song. “Drop It Low,” featuring Chris Brown, has been heating up the clubs and the charts, and its beat and Ester’s larger-than-life delivery make it impossible to sit still. Watching her perform it live, dancing and working the crowd from the first note, you can see exactly why everybody is calling her one to watch.

What a lot of people are just finding out is that Ester is just as dangerous with a pen as she is with a microphone. Signed to Polow’s Zone 4 and Interscope, the Oklahoma native has been writing records for other artists while building her own name, and performances like this one prove she is ready for a spotlight of her very own.

Big shout out to Polow Da Don and the Zone 4 family for feeding families for the holiday and still giving the city a show to remember. Press play and check out Ester Dean doing her thing — something tells us you will be hearing a whole lot more from her very soon.

Watch more exclusive videos on the FreddyO YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@freddyo1983

Atlanta, Celebrity News

Paula Deen Gets Hit In The Face By Flying Ham

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November 24, 2009

Only in Atlanta, y’all! Celebrity chef Paula Deen rolled up to Hosea Feed the Hungry & Homeless on Monday morning ready to spread a little Thanksgiving love, and she left with a story she will be telling at the dinner table for the rest of her life. Deen was on hand on behalf of Smithfield Foods to help deliver a massive donation of protein ahead of the organization’s big Thanksgiving dinner, and FreddyO was right there as the hams started flying down the relay line — literally.

Picture it: volunteers passing ham after ham hand to hand, everybody working fast to get thousands of pounds of food ready for families in need. Then one eight-pound ham got away from the line, sailed through the air, and caught Paula square in the face. The whole room froze for half a second — and then Paula did exactly what Paula does. She burst out laughing. The Food Network star took the hit like a champ, joking that the flying ham nearly knocked her cuckoo, and she calmly held ice to her nose to keep the swelling down while the crowd cracked up around her.

That is why Atlanta loves this woman. A lot of celebrities would have stormed off, demanded a manager, or turned a good deed into a bad headline. Not Paula. She shook it off, kept smiling for the cameras, and got right back to the business of giving back. And the giving was serious: Smithfield’s donation totaled some 25,000 pounds of protein for Hosea Feed the Hungry, the Atlanta institution that has been feeding this city’s hungry and homeless families for decades, especially around the holidays.

So yes, the video is hilarious — a flying ham is a flying ham — but do not miss the heart underneath the comedy. Thanksgiving in Atlanta is about neighbors feeding neighbors, and on this Monday morning Paula Deen took one for the team in the most Paula Deen way possible. Press play above and watch the moment everybody will be talking about this holiday season, then check out more FreddyO exclusives below.

Ariana Grande Bad Tattoo & Girl Gets Harry Styles Face Tattoo

Watch more exclusive videos on the FreddyO YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@freddyo1983

Atlanta, Celebrity News

Whitney Houston American Musica Awards 2009

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November 23, 2009

The Voice is back, and don’t you dare act like you didn’t miss her. Whitney Houston took the stage at the 2009 American Music Awards in Los Angeles and reminded the whole music industry exactly who owns that title. FreddyO has the footage of Whitney at the AMAs — elegant, emotional and sounding like a woman who has fought her way back to the spotlight she never should have left. When Whitney sings, everybody else just takes notes.

This is Whitney’s year of return. Her new album “I Look To You” hit No. 1 when it dropped this summer, her sit-down with Oprah in September had everybody talking, and now she’s closing the year on one of the biggest stages in music. At the Nokia Theatre, Whitney delivered “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength,” the Diane Warren ballad from the album, and you could hear a pin drop — this wasn’t just a performance, it was a testimony. Every lyric about surviving the storm landed like she was singing her own diary out loud.

The night got even bigger when the American Music Awards honored Whitney with its International Artist Award, recognizing a career that has sold records in every corner of the world. From “I Will Always Love You” to “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay,” Whitney’s catalog is the standard every singer after her gets measured against — just ask Atlanta’s own Monica, who grew up studying Whitney and isn’t shy about saying so. Seeing Whitney collect her flowers on that stage, healthy and beaming, is the moment her fans have been praying for.

Monica Sings Whitney Houston ‘I Will Always Love You’

Press play, turn it up, and give the queen her standing ovation one more time. Whitney Houston is back where she belongs — on stage, on top, and in full voice.

Watch more exclusive videos on the FreddyO YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@freddyo1983