ZADIE SMITH, known for ambitious, smart fiction, has written the noel that everybody and their grandma should be talking about.

For NW, she returns to Northwest London, the neighborhood that was prominently featured in her breakout first novel White Teeth.

Here, SMITH follows four young Londoners as they begin their adult lives outside of public housing for the first time. They have dreams and talent, but little else.

How their different lives interconnect and overlap is a moving illustration of how a neighborhood can shape its people and vice versa.

Coiffed yet carefree styles are CHUCK AMOS’ signature—and fashion’s the name of his hair game.

One of the first prominent African-Americans to do high fashion styling, he changed the way black women saw their hair in the ’90s.

“Celebs took notice and got a feel of what I was doing and a new breed of black hair emerged,” says the tress-pert, who takes credit for much-loved looks like BRANDY’s braid streaks and BEYONCE’s signature tousled locks…

It’s such a cliché to even ask, but where did the year go? 2012 was great! Cover girl NENE LEAKES parlayed her reality TV fame into major network roles and checks. Baby BLUE was born, her dad JAY-Z opened and sold out the Barclays Center and Awkward Black Girl creator ISSA RAE inked a deal with ABC. Keep reading for more winners and high notes.

But even in the best of times, we suffered losses like WHITNEY HOUSTON and CHRIS LIGHTY. It’s the circle of life, right? And like my mom would remind me, life is for the living, so let’s live it and celebrate it! Like NICOLE ARI PARKER who spills her beauty secrets, and TONY ROCK who admits that his brother is his favorite comedian.

Speaking of funny men, we talk to CHARLIE MURPHY about the 10-year anniversary of Chappelle’s Show. And this right here, is the 20th issue of Juicy! So, yeah, the year’s been good and I thank God and you for that. Hope yours has been too. Be well and keep it Juicy!

I don’t need a holiday to express my gratitude. I give thanks every day, throughout the day (hope you do, too). But a sista loves what the holidays bring: a gathering of food, family and friends!

Speaking of getting together, special thank yous to T.I. and TINY for personifying southern hospitality. Mrs. Tameka Harris is indeed the happy wife living the happy life. ANTM alum EVA MARCILLE knows a thing or two about good living and great skin. She spills her beauty secrets in this issue.

KEKE PALMER stopped by our office to show off her new blonde ’do and reveal what her tattoo says. VIVICA A. FOX shares how much she enjoyed kissing BORIS KODJOE. BET’s Don’t Sleep! host, TJ HOLMES, says he has a thing for bougie women, and the rapper THE GAME and his wife-to-be admit that arguing in public isn’t their thing. It’s the holiday season! I’m grateful for that and more. Be well and keep it Juicy!

This issue ain’t for everybody, only the beautiful people! And if you’re reading Juicy, well, you’re gorgeous to me. This list of aesthetically pleasing celebs was hard to narrow down, but the ultimate girl on fire is none other than ALICIA KEYS. While the usual suspects like BEYONCE, NIA LONG, BORIS KODJOE and T.I. make the list, we’ve also included new faces like LHHATL’s ARIANE DAVIS and indie film actress EMAYATZY CORINEALDI.

Wanna know when BIG SEAN feels sexy? It’s too risqué for print, but we have the best compliment he’s received along with replies from MICHAEL EALY and MECHAD BROOKS. Also, check out our convos with Basketball Wives: L.A. stars LAURA GOVAN and DRAYA MICHELE.

Oh, and we have our first annual Beauty Awards! We polled our fave makeup artists, salon owners and beauty bloggers. The most beautifullest thing in this world? Waking up to a brand new day. Be well and keep it Juicy!

Three times is definitely the Juicy charm! LALA ANTHONY returns for her third cover and this time we shot her at her West Coast castle. Once our photographers and the VH1 camera crew left, La changed into a fuzzy pink (yet somehow still sexy) robe, plopped down on her couch and talked fashion with me.

A very special shout-out to her son, KIYAN ANTHONY, for being so patient and remarkably understanding as I monopolized his mom’s time. Speaking of fashion, we added more Style pages to this issue! Also, TAMAR BRAXTON dishes on her new show. Plus, we rounded up the sexiest single ladies in the biz:  ADRIENNE BAILON, JULISSA BERMUDEZ, DAWN RICHARD, K. MICHELLE and DENYCE LAWTON. Check out which singlista said, “you just can’t give your hot pocket away.”

Speaking of hot, summer’s not officially over. Enjoy the rest of it while you’re prepping your fall wardrobe. Be well and keep it Juicy!

Whether it’s fresh honey highlights, foxy caramel panels or bold all-over gold, blondes really do have more fun.

However before you can enjoy being a blonde, you must know how to take care of your color treated tresses.

Stylist, GABRIELLE CORNEY insists picking the right shade blonde is the most imperative step before even thinking about learning to how to maintain it.

“The caramel is perfect for Olivia’s skin’s yellow undertones and she definitely doesn’t like it dark,” CORNEY says of her client Love and Hip Hop star OLIVIA LONGETT.

Hair that is colored in the most suitable blonde shade for your skin tone is essential making sure you can pull off the blonde look well.

“Our hair can be fragile and relaxed hair can create issues going blonde,” cautions celebrity hairstylist, PAT SUMPTER-DAVIS.

SUMPTER-DAVIS believes that her client NENE LEAKES, known for her short blonde crop, is able to maintain her color for a number of reasons.

“NeNe’s hair is strong enough [because she doesn't relax it] to hold blonde. The color is amazing and really works with her olive skin tone,” says SUMPTER-DAVIS.

Because of the long lasting effects of dying one’s hair blonde, PAT SUMPTER- DAVIS suggests Juicy girls head to a color specialist to gradually lighten, minimizing damage.

“You have to be extra careful with blonde. Like gray, it picks up color easily, even makeup around the hairline,” she says.

The pro recommends nixing stray color with Avlon Affirm Gentle Assurance a base cream skin protectant.

While some Juicy celebs like NENE LEAKES rock their one blonde shade at a time, other Juicy girls like to mix and match.

Celebrity stylist JIM CRAWFORD loves RITA ORA‘s double-processed, pale yellow-beige blonde. “There aren’t any red or brassy tones- it’s just a gorgeous color from roots to ends.

Living the gold life may top most lust lists, but it’s not for everyone.

Check out our gallery of products to ensure blondes have the most fun.– CRYSTAL FENTON

AN XL LIFE

By Big Boy

If you haven’t seen larger than life radio disc jockey BIG BOY recently, you probably won’t recognize him. Two hundred pounds slimmer and now an advocate for healthy living, he chronicles his weight-loss struggle in a new memoir.

His story features his tight-knit family and run-ins with gangs, handguns (hidden in the most unlikely places) and drug use. BIG BOY’s intermittent homelessness get full attention, too.

An XL Life makes Big Boy’s personal story highly readable and it might even inspire you to keep your fitness resolutions at least until April.-RAKIA CLARK

This southern songbird has werked styles as versatile as her voice. Short and sweet or long and luxurious, she’s authentically Monica.