Kim Porter Wore Many Hats, But Her Biggest One Of All Was Mother
Kim Porter was a lot of things: supermodel, girlfriend to two famous musicians, actress, and socialite. But to 2 boys and 2 girls, she was just "mom."
Many of us know her from her days modelling for the likes of Tommy Hilfiger and Revlon, or on the cover of fashion magazines like Elle and Marie Claire. You might even remember seeing her on the arm of Diddy back when hip-hop was beginning to rule the airwaves and affect the entirety of the world's culture. But the 47-year-old was more than just a pretty face. By all accounts, her presence lit up every room she entered and her grace and kindness outshined her stunning beauty.
Born in Columbus, Georgia, Porter eventually got her start in the modelling world when she moved to Atlanta after graduating from Columbus High School in 1988. Her first high-profile romance was with crooner Al B. Sure, and in 1991, she gave birth to her first son, Quincy. Shortly thereafter, she began an on-again, off-again relationship with Sean "Diddy" Combs that began in 1994 and lasted through 2007. Diddy adopted Quincy, and the pair welcomed another son, Christian (King Combs) in 1998 and twin daughters D'Lila Star and Jessie James in 2006.
While the couple never married, they were possibly the first celebrity couple to really display what co-parenting and blended families can look like: always spending the holidays together, wishing each other "Happy Birthday" and sending positive vibes each other's way via social media, and keeping a consistent environment for their kids.
The relationship between the two had its fair share of rumors and infidelity, but the love between the two was real. "Puff was in love with her from the first time he saw her," Andre Harrell told Essence back in 2007. "You could tell from the way he looked at her."
And as a mother, Diddy considered her the cream of the crop. He told Jet Magazine in 2008:
"Kim is an incredible mother to our children. We've been part of each other's lives for many years and I have always admired her courage and strength. We're the best of friends."
Her commitment to her role as a mother was always apparent. As most proud mothers do, we dote over each and every one of our kids, marvel at their success, and share intimate moments with our friends and family via social media.
But for Kim, while she seemingly kept a low profile after her modelling and acting career, she always made sure she was present in her children's lives, and the kids always let the world know how much they loved their mother. Despite her relationship not working out, she made sure to not only include their father in their lives, but that they remained close enough to maintain a loving and amicable relationship for the sake of the kids. In 2007, she told Essence:
"You know how when two people go their separate ways, most of the time there's animosity? It's not like that with us. Sean and I have this bond, this friendship. It's not about 'if you're faithful to me, if I'm being faithful to you.' We're friends. I'm the person he can tell his innermost thoughts to and he's that person for me. He still calls me everyday and we talk. There's no ill feeling or 'I can't stand you, I hate you, don't call.' There's none of that. We have three children together so that's just not an option. We're committed to our children even if we couldn't commit to each other."
According to TMZ, Porter was found unresponsive in her Toluca Lake home earlier this afternoon. There are reports that she was suffering from an undisclosed respiratory illness, but the cause of death has yet to be confirmed.
When the news broke, the outpouring of condolences followed. Rapper 50 Cent shared that "she was loved and will be missed dearly." Mase also shared that he "can't believe someone so special and contributed so much...I'm speechless."
Model Draya Michele shared that she had recently run into and hugged Porter and said that she "didn't even look like you were battling anything." Actress Keke Palmer also shared a heartfelt tribute, recalling a time where they lived very close to one another and that Porter would "tell me everything I needed to learn, never holding back and always keeping it fun."
This is a huge loss to the family. While many lost a friend and confidant, her four children are sadly without a mother. Few losses are greater than the loss of a parent at a young age, and our hearts go out to Quincy, Christian, D'Lila and Jesse.
Featured image by Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com
Michelle Schmitz is a writer and editor based in Washington, DC originally from Ft Lauderdale, FL. A self-described ambivert, you can find her figuring out ways to read more than her monthly limit of The New York Times, attending concerts, and being a badass, multi-tasking supermom. She also runs her own blog MichelleSasha.com. Keep up with her latest moves on IG: @michellesashawrites and Twitter: @michellesashas
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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You've Never Seen Luke James In A Role Quite Like This
Over the years, we've watched Luke James play countless characters we'd deem sex symbols, movie stars, and even his complicated character in Lena Waithe's The Chi. For the first time in his career, the New Orleans-born actor has taken on a role where his signature good looks take a backseat as he transforms into Edmund in Them: The Scare—a mentally deranged character in the second installment of the horror anthology series that you won't be able to take your eyes off.
Trust us, Edmund will literally make you do a double take.
xoNecole sat down with Luke James to talk about his latest series and all the complexity surrounding it—from the challenges taking on this out-of-the-box role to the show's depiction of the perplexing history of the relationship between Black Americans and police. When describing the opportunity to bring Edmund's character to life, Luke was overjoyed to show the audience yet another level of his masterful acting talents.
"It was like bathing in the sun," he said. "I was like, thank you! Another opportunity for me to be great—for me to expand my territory. I'm just elated to be a part of it and to see myself in a different light, something I didn't think I could do." He continued, "There are parts of you that says, 'Go for it because this is what you do.' But then also that's why it's a challenge because you're like, 'um, I don't know if I'm as free as I need to be to be able to do this.' Little Marvin just created such a safe space for me to be able to do this, and I'm grateful for everything I've been able to do to lead to this."
Courtesy
Them: The Scare, like the first season, shines a light on the plight of Black Americans in the United States. This time, the story is taking place in the 1990s, at the height of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While the series presents many underlying themes, one that stands out is Black people and the complicated relationship with the police. "For the audience, I think it sets the tone for the era that we're in and the amount of chaos that's in the air in Los Angeles and around the country from this heinous incident. And I say it just sets the tone of the anxiety and anxiousness that everybody is feeling in their own households."
James has been a longtime advocate against police brutality himself. He has even featured Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Colorado man who died after being forcibly detained by officers, as his Instagram avatar for the past five years. So, as you can imagine, this script was close to his heart. "Elijah was a soft-loving oddball. Different than anyone but loving and a musical genius. He was just open and wanted to be loved and seen."
Getty Images
Luke continued, "His life was taken from him. I resonate with his spirit and his words...through all the struggle and the pain he still found it in him to say, 'I love you and I forgive you.' And that's who we are as people—to our own detriment sometimes. He's someone I don't want people to forget. I have yet to remove his face from my world because I have yet to let go of his voice, let go of that being [because] there's so many people we have lost in our history that so often get forgotten."
He concluded, "I think that's the importance of such artwork that moves us to think and talk about it. Yes, it's entertaining. We get to come together and be spooked together. But then we come together and we think, 'Damn, Edmund needed someone to talk to. Edmund needed help... a lot [of] things could have been different. Edmund could have been saved.'
Check out the full interview below.
Luke James Talks Ditching Sex Symbol Status For "Them: The Scare", Elijah McClain, & Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Getty Images