Entertainment

Sister Wives’ Christine and Janelle Brown Deny Only Robyn Can ‘Speak Kody’ on December 4, 2023 at 4:01 am Us Weekly

Published

3 years ago

December 4, 2023

Discovery (4)

Christine and Janelle Brown shut down Robyn Brown’s claim that she “speaks Kody” the best on part 2 of Sister Wives: 1-on-1.

“I think I get Kody pretty well. Like, I feel like I understand him,” Robyn, 45, said on the Sunday, December 3, episode of the Sister Wives season 18 tell-all, which is part of the multi-episode reunion.

Robyn noted that she thinks Kody Brown’s three exes, Christine, 51, Janelle, 54, and Meri Brown, all “have the capacity” to “speak Kody,” as Meri, 52, put it on the show. “He could be misunderstood very easily because he says everything that’s in his head. Most people filter it. He doesn’t,” Robyn said of her husband, 54. “But I think that it’s hard for other people to understand.”

Christine and Janelle, however, think they understand their former husband just fine. (Christine and Kody split in November 2021, while Janelle confirmed in December 2022 that she and Kody had been “separated for several months.”)

“Robyn says that she can speak Kody and I’m like, ‘Bulls–t,’” Christine said in Sunday’s episode. “I have known Kody for … I met him when I was 18. I’ve known Kody for a long time, and I can actually read Kody pretty well. And I can speak Kody well, too.”

Christine, who shares six children with the patriarch, claimed that Robyn “convinced all of us that she could speak Kody and that she would mediate our relationships.” She alleged that Robyn made all the wives feel like “she needed to be there in the relationship” because “she can speak Kody and we can’t.”

Janelle revealed she felt the same way as Christine about Robyn being the Kody whisperer. “I’m like, ‘Well, I don’t know if I really need someone to translate for me. We’ve been married a long time. We did OK without you,’” Janelle confessed. “I think I speak Kody. But she likes to position herself as like, ‘I speak Kody.’”

Janelle further claimed that Robyn has even pulled that line on her six children. “That one does bug me. ‘I speak Kody.’ Well, Kody can speak for himself. He’s a grown ass man,” Janelle quipped.

Scroll down to see more of the biggest revelations from part 2 of season 18’s Sister Wives: 1-on-1 special:

Janelle Brown, Kody Brown and Christine Brown. Gabe Ginsberg/FilmMagic

Janelle Plays Coy About Her and Kody’s Sex Life

“There was definitely physical compatibility,” Janelle told host Sukanya Krishnan, noting that sex was part of her connection with Kody. “I’m not someone who goes around blabbing about that. I’ll hint at it. Everything was very good in that department.”

Since the pair have parted ways, Janelle said, “I don’t think he’s holding out hope, pining for me. He’s never really come to me and said look, ‘I really love you and I really want to make this work.’ Not, like, in that very deep, intimate connection way.”

Robyn Brown, Janelle Brown Meri Brown and Christine Brown. Gabe Ginsberg/FilmMagic)

Wives Claim They Had to ‘Earn’ Kody’s Love

Janelle reflected on her relationship with Kody throughout their nearly 30-year union, claiming, “For him, it became about, ‘I needed to coparent. I needed to be less independent.’ I needed to do all these things in order to earn that relationship. And I’m like, ‘No, I don’t need to earn a relationship.’”

Christine recalled a similar experience with Kody before their 2021 split. “I always felt like I needed to do something to earn love or earn acceptance, or I had to do something a certain way and I didn’t even realize how much stress I was under,” she alleged. “Kody had really specific things that he liked. And when he came over, I’d want to [say], ‘Sure, let’s go ahead and cook the kind of dinner that you like or make sure the house is cleaned a certain way.’ I just wanted him to be comfortable in my home.”

Meri, who confirmed her split from Kody in January after more than 30 years together, noted that her ex was particular about many things. “He would ask me to do things and ask me to be a certain way or ask me to fix the situation or ask me to share some information with him or whatever, all these things to be able to fix our relationship,” she explained. “And I did every one of the things that he asked me to. And then it just wasn’t good enough. … You’re asking if loyalty was enough? And it wasn’t for him.”

Kody Brown (C) and (L-R) Janelle Brown, Christine Brown, Meri Brown and Robyn Brown. Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images

Kody Says He Will ‘Always Love’ Meri

“I told her I loved her, and I chose to love her, and I chose to be romantic,” Kody said of his union with Meri. “She thinks I was madly head over heels over and it was not that experience for me. But I was always a life affirming person. I would always affirm what I wanted. And so I told her and did everything I could to love her, and she thinks we were mad about each other, and we acted that [way]. We played that out.”

Kody noted that they did “have a very romantic experience” at the beginning of their marriage but acknowledged that “there was a lot of dysfunction” over the years.

Elsewhere in the episode, he claimed, “I will always love her. I can’t be in love with her. It’s not safe for me. … Make up any bulls–t you want, but I’m telling you, I’m not going to sit here and drive the bus over her because this is sad. It’s heartbreaking. It just didn’t work.”

Ultimately, Kody confessed that anything he says will be like “ripping that wound back open” for Meri, and he doesn’t want that. “It’s like I love her and want her to have a happy life, but I don’t think [she] and I can functionally be in a relationship of marriage,” he concluded.

Meri Brown Discovery

Meri Shares the Full Wedding Ring Story

Us Weekly previously shared an exclusive sneak peek of Christine revealing that Kody melted down his 1990 wedding band from Meri shortly after Robyn joined the family in 2010. In the clip, Meri revealed she was “frustrated” that Christine told viewers such an intimate memory without permission.

During Sunday’s episode, Meri reluctantly detailed the full story of what Kody told her when he decided to stop wearing his first wedding ring. “He didn’t think that it was fair that I had [a] claim on him. And so his way of [changing] that was to melt down [the ring],” she recalled. “The wedding ring that was a symbol … of, like, our marriage and our commitment. And he melted it down.”

Meri got choked up while recalling the heartbreaking act. “Who’s to say that he didn’t just melt down our whole relationship in that moment? Symbolically, that’s what he did to me,” she continued. “Because I remember asking him, ‘If you’re not going to wear it, can I just have it? Can I keep it?’ [He said], ‘Oh, no. I melted it down. I didn’t want you to have any claim on me.’ It was a very, very painful situation.”

Robyn, for her part, claimed that Kody melting his ring from Meri had nothing to do with her joining the family. “No, he had done that before I came along OK. It wasn’t when I came in the family,” she insisted. “It was way before that because he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring when I met him.”

Janelle Brown and Christine Brown Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Kody’s 3rd Ring

After Kody melted down his first wedding band, his then-wives gifted him a Claddagh ring. The Claddagh is a Celtic symbol of love, loyalty and friendship and was intended to be an “heirloom” passed to their daughters, Janelle exclusively told Us in November, noting that all the wives wore one as well.

Throughout season 18, Meri noticed that Kody was wearing another new band, which she assumed was from Robyn. “It was way nicer and [I] went, ‘That’s cool, I want that,’” Kody said on the tell-all, explaining how he found his current ring. “And my wedding ring was on and some things happened [in the family] and I went, ‘Those relationships are over.’ And I went like this [and took it off]. I’m done.”

Kody clarified that he made the choice to take off the Claddagh ring during his marital woes with Janelle in 2022, which viewers saw play out this season. He and Meri were also on the rocks at the time.

Part 3 of the Sister Wives: 1-on-1 special airs on TLC Sunday, December 10, at 10 p.m. ET.

Discovery (4) Christine and Janelle Brown shut down Robyn Brown’s claim that she “speaks Kody” the best on part 2 of Sister Wives: 1-on-1. “I think I get Kody pretty well. Like, I feel like I understand him,” Robyn, 45, said on the Sunday, December 3, episode of the Sister Wives season 18 tell-all, which

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Entertainment

Jay-Z Locked In Tyla. The Industry Is Shaking.

Published

2 weeks ago

July 3, 2026

Bolanle Media Staff

By Bolanle Media | July 2, 2026

Photo: Tyla at the 2026 Met Gala in custom Valentino — days before making the biggest business move of her career.

There are career moves, and then there are statements. Tyla just made a statement that will be studied in music business classrooms for years.

The South African superstar — born Tyla Laura Seethal, 24 years old, and already the proud owner of two Grammy Awards — has officially signed a multi-million dollar global deal with Roc Nation, Jay-Z’s powerhouse entertainment company, walking away from Epic Records to align herself with the most influential roster in the music business. The signing was confirmed across social media with a major digital announcement this week, and the reaction from industry insiders was immediate — shock, admiration, and the quiet acknowledgment that someone just changed the trajectory of African music forever.

From “Water” to a Global Phenomenon

Let’s not forget where this all started. In 2023, a 21-year-old from Johannesburg released a song called “Water” that nobody could quite categorize and everybody needed to hear. Within weeks, it had sparked one of the most viral TikTok dance challenges of the decade, charted simultaneously across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Africa, and earned Tyla a Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance — the first year that category even existed.

That win wasn’t just personal. It was a signal. African music — Afrobeats, Amapiano, and now what Tyla herself calls A*Pop — was no longer knocking at the door of the global mainstream. It had walked through it. And Tyla had handed it the key.

What followed was a whirlwind two years of sold-out shows, magazine covers, red carpet domination, and a growing reputation as one of the most stylistically fearless artists on the planet. She attended the 2026 Met Gala — her third consecutive appearance — wearing a custom Valentino gown dripping in diamond chains with a sweeping teal skirt, styled by the legendary Law Roach, with beauty by Pat McGrath. The look was breathtaking. But it was also strategic. Every Met Gala appearance, every fashion moment, every carefully placed interview has been building toward exactly this: the infrastructure to match the vision.

What Roc Nation Actually Means

To understand why this deal matters, you have to understand what Roc Nation actually is — because it is not simply a record label.

Founded by Jay-Z in 2008, Roc Nation is a full-service entertainment company with divisions spanning artist management, touring, brand partnerships, film and television, sports management, and philanthropy. Its roster has included Rihanna, Alicia Keys, J. Cole, Big Sean, Lil Uzi Vert, and Megan Thee Stallion — artists who didn’t just sell records, but built multi-decade cultural empires that extended into fashion, film, business, and beyond. The through-line isn’t genre. It’s scale.

For Tyla specifically, the Roc Nation deal unlocks a completely different level of access. We’re talking about premium budgets for music videos and live production, top-tier brand partnership pipelines with luxury and lifestyle companies, film and television placement relationships that most artists spend a decade trying to build, and the kind of media weight that gets you on the cover of Vogue, Time, and Billboard in the same calendar year. Roc Nation doesn’t just manage artists — it engineers icons.

On the African music side, Tyla joins fellow Roc Nation signee Ayra Starr, the Nigerian pop star who inked her deal in 2025, deepening the label’s clear and deliberate strategic investment in African pop as the next dominant global genre. Jay-Z is not betting on a trend. He is betting on a generation.

The Album That Could Rewrite the Playbook

The timing of this signing is not accidental — it is surgical.

Tyla’s highly anticipated sophomore album, A*POP, is officially set to drop July 24, 2026, just three weeks away — a 14-track project that she has described as unapologetic, globally ambitious, and deeply rooted in her South African identity while simultaneously reaching for something universal. The lead single “She Did It Again” features Swedish pop titan Zara Larsson, a collaboration that announces in no uncertain terms that Tyla is not staying in any lane she didn’t build herself.

With Roc Nation’s full machine now behind the album rollout — promotional infrastructure, media relationships, tour routing, brand activations — A*POP arrives with a runway that Epic Records simply could not have provided at this scale. The industry is already paying attention. For music supervisors, film and TV executives, brand marketers, and entertainment investors reading this right now — put A*POP on your radar immediately. This is the kind of release that shapes culture, not just charts.

The Bigger Picture Nobody Is Talking About

Here is what gets lost in the excitement of a big announcement: the systemic significance of what Tyla just did.

The music industry’s historical relationship with African artists has been, at best, transactional — major labels slow to invest, quick to cash in on a viral moment, and consistently reluctant to build the kind of long-term infrastructure that turns an artist into a brand. Tyla has navigated that system with remarkable intelligence, refusing to be reduced to a trend, building her artistic identity on her own terms, and now — at 24 — arriving at the negotiating table with enough leverage to choose Roc Nation on her terms.

That matters. Not just for Tyla, but for every African artist watching this unfold from Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Cape Town, and Houston. It is proof that the path from regional phenomenon to global superstar is not only possible — it is being paved right now, in real time, by a young woman from Johannesburg who refused to shrink.

For media companies, content platforms, entertainment executives, and brand strategists operating in the African diaspora space — this is your data point. African pop is not a niche. It is not a trend. It is not a moment. It is a movement, and Tyla just secured the most powerful co-sign available in the global music business to lead it.

Watch this space. Very closely.

Follow @bolanlemedia on Instagram for real-time music, film, and entertainment industry news. Read more at bolanlemedia.com

Entertainment

DJ Shinski Brings AfriqueFest To Life

Published

1 month ago

June 16, 2026

Bolanle Media Staff

AfriqueFest: Pan-African Musical Experience — World Cup Edition is set to take over Noto Houston on Sunday, June 28, bringing together East, South, and West African sounds in one immersive celebration of music, culture, and connection. Presented by Experience Noir and Bolanle Media, the event is designed as a cinematic night for the culture, blending global energy with Houston nightlife in a way that feels elevated, intentional, and deeply rooted in African creativity.

Spotlight on DJ Shinski

At the heart of this year’s experience is DJ Shinski. Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya and now based in Houston, DJ Shinski has built an international name off high-energy sets that move effortlessly across Afrobeats, Amapiano, hip‑hop, dancehall, reggae, and electronic sounds.

He has also become Africa’s most‑subscribed DJ on YouTube, crossing the 2‑million‑subscriber mark and turning his mixes into a global destination for music lovers.

DJ Shinski’s style is precise but unpredictable: one moment it’s classic Afrobeats, the next it’s East African anthems, then a run of throwback hip‑hop or R&B that still feels fresh. That ability to read a room and connect multiple worlds in a single set is exactly why AfriqueFest is building so much of the night’s energy around him.

At AfriqueFest, DJ Shinski helps drive the Safari Grooves segment, representing East and Central Africa from 4 PM to 6 PM. Expect a journey that moves from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Addis, and beyond, all filtered through his signature “vibes on vibes” approach behind the decks.

DJ Tunez and the rest of the night

Supporting that energy, DJ Tunez leads the Gold Coast Beats chapter from 8 PM to 10 PM, bringing his own Nigerian‑American Afrobeats pedigree to the stage. Together with the Diamond Rhythms segment (South) and a curated roster of DJs, the night stretches across the continent in three distinct musical chapters, all connected by a single dance floor.

Hosted by @chris_gone_crazy, @kingdrewwskyy, @roselynomaka, and @samsnewleaf, AfriqueFest is positioned as more than a party—it’s a celebration of sound, style, and Pan‑African identity in Houston, with DJ Shinski anchoring the experience from the moment doors open.

Brought to you by Bolanle Media & Experience Noir

Brought to you by Bolanle Media and Experience Noir, this World Cup edition of AfriqueFest is crafted as a night where global DJs, storytellers, and music lovers collide and create a shared cultural memory. With DJ Shinski front and center—and DJ Tunez helping close the night—guests can expect a show that reflects both the future of African nightlife and the power of the diaspora to create unforgettable live moments.

If you want to experience DJ Shinski live at AfriqueFest, now is the time to lock in your spot. Purchase your tickets now at AfriqueFest.com and get ready for a night of music, movement, and culture at Noto Houston.

Entertainment

STREAMING PREMIERE · JUNE 13, 2026

Published

1 month ago

June 13, 2026

Bolanle Media Staff

Laughter Meets Inspiration: Our Ladies Show Lands on The Roku Channel

A bold new sketch comedy series for women premieres June 13 across the U.S., U.K., and Canada — arriving on the back of a festival-winning run that has critics and audiences already paying attention.

It isn’t every day a brand-new comedy arrives already wearing a row of trophies. Our Ladies Show does. The seven-episode inspirational sketch comedy series — created, written by, and starring Christin Jezak — begins streaming on The Roku Channel on Friday, June 13, 2026, available free to viewers in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.

Produced in partnership with global media services leader Encompass Digital Media, the series sets out to do something rare in today’s streaming landscape: make women laugh out loud and leave them lifted. In a media moment crowded with noise and cynicism, Our Ladies Show is a deliberate counterweight — comedy with a conscience, built for women of every age and background.

A Show Built Around Real Life — and Real Laughs

Each of the seven episodes opens with a monologue from one of the cast members introducing the theme, then rolls into three or more sketches that hit the subject from every comedic angle. The series tackles the things women actually carry: holding grudges, comparison, beauty, patience, gift giving, the importance of community, and dealing with anxiety.

The comedy comes from a place of warmth rather than mockery — a “laugh at ourselves” spirit that runs through a gallery of unforgettable characters: a nosey neighbor, an overwhelmed mom, relentlessly optimistic flight attendants, beauty pageant winners past their prime, and a crew of unruly campers with a counselor who simply cannot hold it together.

Then the show does something most sketch series don’t. In the final segment of every episode, the cast gathers in a living-room setting and invites the audience in — sharing real inspiration drawn from the theme, the sketches, and their own personal stories. It’s the moment the laughter turns into something that stays with you.

The Women Behind the Show

Our Ladies Show brings together three performers with serious range:

Christin Jezak — creator, writer, and star (Miracle at Manchester, Raising Hope, Jimmy Kimmel Live!)
Hillary Hawkins — (Primal, Nick Jr.’s Play Along, Gullah Gullah Island)
Sarah Hernandez — (Nefarious, Unplanned, House of Payne)

“In a world with so much division and depression, I hope women of all ages and backgrounds will watch this show, laugh, be reminded of how beautiful, unique, and loved they are, and remember how much we need each other.”— Christin Jezak, Creator & Star

Already a Festival Favorite

The series’ recurring long-form sketch, Neighborhood Watch, didn’t arrive quietly. Originally released as a web series and revamped for Our Ladies Show with new footage, sound, and music, it has been sweeping the festival circuit:

🏆 Best Webseries — 2026 New Media Film Festival (Los Angeles)
🏆 Best Web/TV Series — Paris Film Awards
🏆 Best Web Series — Dallas Movie Awards
🏅 Additional wins at the London Movie Awards, Florence Film Awards, and Hollywood Gold Awards
🎬 Official Selection — 2026 Harvard Divinity School Film Fest
⭐ Finalist — Houston Comedy Film Festival
📣 Three nominations — 2025 Content Christian Media Conference, including Best Actress in a TV and Web Series nods for both Christin Jezak and Sarah Hernandez

Where and When to Watch

Our Ladies Show premieres Friday, June 13, 2026, streaming on The Roku Channel — the home of premium and free entertainment — in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. All seven episodes deliver the series’ signature blend of sharp sketch comedy and genuine encouragement.

Watch the trailer now on your platform of choice:

For more information, visit www.ourladiesshow.com and follow @ourladiesshow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

About Christin Jezak

Christin Jezak has worked for over 15 years in the entertainment industry. She created and stars in Our Ladies Show and the award-winning web series Neighborhood Watch. She produced the EWTN TV program For the Sake of the Gospel and the all-women web series Ladies Keepin’ It Real, played Dr. Sam in Miracle at Manchester (starring Dean Cain, Daniel Roebuck, and Eddie McClintock), and voices Agnes in the podcast Confessions of a Catholic Single. She held a lead role in a short film for NTT Data directed by Academy Award–winning cinematographer Janusz Kamiński, has co-starred on Raising Hope, and appeared in Jimmy Kimmel sketches and a Grubhub Super Bowl commercial.

About The Roku Channel

Roku pioneered streaming on TV and is the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico by hours streamed (Hypothesis Group, Dec. 2025). The Roku Channel is the home of premium and free entertainment, alongside Roku’s Howdy and Frndly TV services. Roku is headquartered in San Jose, California.

About Encompass Digital Media

Encompass Digital Media is a global managed services company — technology-driven, software-defined, and people-powered. Trusted by world-leading broadcasters, networks, sports rights-holders, and OTT platforms, it processes over 25,000 hours of content daily, serves 850 channels to 84 countries, distributes over 243,000 live events annually, and reaches 400 million radio listeners weekly worldwide. Learn more at www.encompass.tv.

Media & Interview Requests: To interview creator Christin Jezak or the cast, contact Christin at cjezak@p2ptheatre.com.