Entertainment Gists
“Nothing About Me Right Now is Perfect” – Serena Williams Opens Up As She Covers TIME Magazine
Tennis star, Serena Williams is the cover star of this month’s Time magazine and she opened up about her complicated comeback.
The 36-year-old, who welcomed a child only a few months ago and soon went back to begin playing professionally, spoke at length to writer Sean Gregory about her struggles on the court and also about her motherhood fears. She also discussed her marriage with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, admitting she was surprised she fell in love with a white man.
On the Time cover, Serena, who nearly died after complications from an emergency C-section while delivering her daughter Alexis Olympia, is seen clad in a black crop top that exposed her midriff. A thin scar can be seen on her abdomen, with the coverline reading: “Nothing about me right now is perfect. But I’m perfectly Serena.”
Speaking about her marriage to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, Serena said she always assumed she would marry a black guy but she and Alexis just clicked when they met.
She said: “I always assumed I’d marry a black guy. I always felt that I could relate more with a black guy, that we’d have more struggles in common, you know?”
Serena’s need to return to tennis and also her need to never leave her daughter collided when her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, told her that unless she stopped breastfeeding Olympia, she would not return to the top of the tennis ranks. But Serena refused and nursed Olympia for the first eight months of her life.
Serena’s coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, says she made choices that put her family above her career, including staying home with Olympia and Ohanian rather than going early to Europe for clay-court prep.
He said: “I felt the decisions were taken through the angle of the family, where before, every decision was taken through the angle of tennis. This is a big difference. Even if you are Serena, if you want to be successful in tennis, tennis has to be priority No. 1.”
Serena believes breastfeeding her daughter made it harder for her to get back into playing shape but said that was her utmost priority.
Speaking to Time, Serena said: “You have the power to sustain the life that God gave her. You have the power to make her happy, to calm her. At any other time in your life, you don’t have this magical superpower.”
Speaking about Mouratoglou telling her to stop nursing, she said: “It’s absolutely hard to take from a guy. He’s not a woman, he doesn’t understand that connection, that the best time of the day for me was when I tried to feed her.”
Olympia is almost always on her mother’s mind and Serena keeps looking for ways to balance her life as an athlete and as a mother.
“Sometimes she just wants Mommy, she doesn’t want anyone else,” Serena says, nearly choking up. “I still have to learn a balance of being there for her, and being there for me. I’m working on it. I never understood women before, when they put themselves in second or third place. And it’s so easy to do. It’s so easy to do.”
She also revealed that she fell prey to peer pressure on social media by posting a photo of her post-pregnancy body on Instagram. She says now that she used a waist trainer to push in her stomach so she could impress.
“I hated that I fell victim to that,” she says. “It puts a lot of pressure on women, young and old.”
Serena also spoke about how motherhood affects women in the workplace. Since returning to the tour, for example, Serena has spoken out about gender discrimination in the workplace, questioning why women coming back from maternity leave should lose their seeds in a tournament draw.
Williams was the top-ranked player in the world before she had Olympia. At the French Open, she did not receive a seed–a penalty that could dissuade other players from having children.
“It would be nice to recognize that women shouldn’t be treated differently because they take time to bring life into this world,” Serena says.
She’s not the first player to come back after giving birth, but it wasn’t until she did that the U.S. Open pledged to incorporate maternity decisions into its seeding process.
Serena also addressed discrepancies in drug testing. The United States Anti-Doping Agency has tested Serena five times in 2018, according to its records. Meanwhile, Sloane Stephens, who won the U.S. Open a year ago, has been tested once. Serena called such differences “discrimination” on Twitter and thinks it’s because some people won’t accept that she’s clean.
“Look at me,” she says, glancing at her herself in a mirror at home. “I was born this way. They’re like, ‘Oh, she can’t be that great, she must be doing something.’ I don’t even lift weights. It’s all God, you know. But whatever.”
Serena says she wants Olympia to have a sibling. She’s learning on the job, like all parents. She still gets down, and has moments when she doesn’t want to hang out with Olympia and then feels terrible for it. And then there’s all the time she can’t bear to pry herself away, despite knowing that her game will suffer for it. But mostly, Serena is learning to recognize the swings, tell herself they’re normal and fight the urge to beat herself up.
“Nothing about me right now is perfect,” she says. “But I’m perfectly Serena.”
RUAN-Badkid.96 is a Nigerian recording artist whose music refuses to live inside a single genre. Blending Afrobeat, Afrofusion, trap, hip-hop, melodic rap, R&B, and global influences, he creates records that move effortlessly between raw street energy, soulful storytelling, and infectious melodies. Whether delivering hard-hitting bars, emotional love songs, or rhythm-driven African records, his sound is defined by authenticity rather than limitation.
Inspired by both African culture and international music, RUAN-Badkid.96 embraces the confidence and ambition of global hip-hop while staying deeply connected to his roots. His lyrics explore love, heartbreak, betrayal, friendship, social injustice, hope, and the everyday realities of life. He doesn’t create music to follow trends, he creates music to reflect truth, emotion, and human experience.
Behind his fearless image is an artist who believes in kindness, equality, justice, and genuine human connection. His appearance may be intimidating, but his message is rooted in compassion and authenticity. Every record carries a piece of his journey, proving that strength and vulnerability can exist in the same voice.
For RUAN-Badkid.96, music is more than entertainment, it’s a language, a testimony, and a lifelong mission to connect with people through honesty, versatility, and unforgettable sound.
Entertainment Gists
Meet the Man Who Turned Hype Into a Science: Emmy Blaq, Nigeria’s G.O.A.T. of Hype
If you have ever been at a Nigerian event and found yourself on your feet before the main act even stepped on stage, there is a good chance a hype man was responsible. But not just any hype man. Emmy Blaq, born Ikechukwu Emmanuel Chima and raised in Auchi, Edo State, has spent the last few years quietly becoming the most talked-about name in that profession, and the Nigerian press has taken notice. Punch, Vanguard, The Guardian Nigeria, The Nation, and Independent Newspaper have all sat down with him, and every conversation leads back to the same thing: this man does not just make noise; he makes moments.
What makes Emmy Blaq different is the journey behind the energy. Before the stages, the collaborations with Waje on her “Waje 2.0” album, DJ Consequence, and DJ Kaywise on the massively streamed “Joor Party Mix” series, he was repairing generators, cutting hair, and sewing clothes in Auchi. His first professional hype gig happened at a local fast food spot called Valchi, and the crowd response that night changed everything. He told The Nation directly: “My passion for entertainment and desire to make people happy led me into the craft.” Punch also captured his bigger mission when he said that hype men deserve more than what they currently earn, a statement that sparked a real conversation across Nigerian entertainment circles.
With over 1.7 million TikTok followers, 23.6 million TikTok likes, a viral “Wife Material” challenge that landed on Pulse Nigeria’s top ten social media moments of 2021, and an international performance at the Cameroon International Music Festival that Cameroonian media described as electrifying, Emmy Blaq is not building toward something. He is already there. The G.O.A.T. of Hype is not a title he gave himself and hoped would stick. It is one the rooms keep confirming every single time he grabs the mic.
MANAGER PROFILE
Uncle Wisdom is a Lagos-based music executive and visionary leader known for blending structure, strategy, and creativity in artist management. With a background in Mathematics and Statistics from UNICROSS formerly, Cross River University Of Technology. He brings analytical precision into talent development, positioning artists for both creative excellence and commercial success.
CAREER JOURNEY
Began his career in 2017 as an event coordinator for Eksu Olofofo, where he gained foundational experience in live events and audience engagement. By 2018, he transitioned into full-time artist management, driven by a clear goal to build a more structured and results-oriented system within the music industry.
In 2019, Started working as a road manager for Barry Jhay, gaining hands-on experience in touring, logistics, and artist operations, a refined career and mental awareness coach . He was also instrumental behind Barry Jhay’s 2025 sold-out homecoming concert, a key moment that fueled momentum for a successful UK tour, including sold-out shows in London and Birmingham.
PHLOX MGMT
Founded from the ground up, Phlox Mgmt is a forward-thinking management company focused on Career coaching, A&R, artist development, and strategic positioning. The company is built on a clear philosophy:
Develop the sound. Define the brand. Position the artist to win.
Phlox Mgmt has connections with @Roadgod_of Roadgod Agency and connects artists with top-tier producers, engineers, and creatives, ensuring a refined sound and strong market presence. The company continues to grow as a trusted platform for emerging and established talent.
INDUSTRY NETWORK & COLLABORATIONS
Uncle Wisdom has built valuable relationships across the industry, working with and alongside talents such as:
Barry Jhay • Asake • Ceeza Milli • Berri Tiga • Laime • Spellz • and many others
LEADERSHIP APPROACH
John Wisdom operates with a long-term vision, focusing on structure, consistency, and execution. His approach goes beyond traditional management he builds systems around artists that support sustainable growth, strong branding, and global competitiveness.
CONTACT & SOCIALS
Instagram & X: @Johnwisdm @phlox_mgmt
TikTok: @unclewisdom7
Email: phloxentertainment@gmail.com
Phone: 08038448478 | 09015668027
-
Audio10 years agoPage – Day Break Everywhere Burst
-
Audio5 years agoShadykarz – Forever
-
Audio10 years agoJuniorboy ft. 9ice – IRAPADA
-
Entertainment Gists5 years agoEx-Beauty Queen, Sandra Benede Shares Sexy Photo
-
Audio5 years agoSimi – Happy Birthday ft. Adekunle Gold, DeJa
-
Audio5 years agoRuger – Bounce
-
Mixtapes4 years agoMixtape: DJ DimpleNipple – The Best Of Amapiano Thrills
-
Editorials3 years agoSa’eedah Imam On Creating Her Imprint In The Nigerian Music Industry As An Emerging Creative Writer